If You Could Read My Mind
by Dark Cosmos
Summary: Sixth Year is here! Check out the preview! Lot's of new suprises, let me know what you think!
1. Default Chapter

****Disclaimer: If I owned them, I'd be rich...unfortunately I'm just a poor little bum who lives in a cardboard box...J.K.Rowling owns Harry Potter, and Naoko Takeuchi owns Sailor Moon.  
  
****Author's Note: This was definitely one of those spontaneous combustion moments, where you just get one of those wild ideas and go for it...I've seen both movies, and have read all four books, (is awaiting for the fifth one...) Neways, my imouto, Megami*Silence, is my muse and is my idol, I worship the ground she stands on...~snorts~ neways, I like comments, considering I've never written one of these before...and before anybody says it is, this is *not*, I repeat NOT a Mary Sue, this is basically an a/u for the fifth book (so it's their fifth year), and Sailor Moon is set in the future (all the gals are adults).  
****  
  
Ami Mizuno finished the last page of her book and slid her spectacles from their perch on her nose. Setting them down, she took a moment to rub her tired eyes. Glancing out the library window, she noticed that it was now mid-morning, and she would have to get herself some breakfast before going to work. Smoothing her dark blue hair back, Ami rose from her seat and took the book she had been reading back to it's shelf. Recently she had been diving into myth novels about wizards and witches and things of the magical nature...she seemed to draw easily to books of the sort considering her colorful past.  
  
Heading outside, she took a few moments to look around before choosing her direction to head for a small diner not far from the library. Ami was a surgeon for the Hospital in Berlin, Germany. She had been there for a few years now, deciding to pursue the career that she had abandoned so many years before, when she made the choice to not go.   
  
Suddenly a large object flew by in front of her and rammed right into the library wall. Ami gasped loudly and rushed to see what had crashed. A large brown owl lay limp on the ground, an envelope in it's claws. Ami slipped the envelope into her fingers and read the address.  
  
Mirko Reinold  
Marcobrunnerstr.865AG7  
Wiesbaden Deutchland  
  
Considering this was right near where Ami was right at that particular moment, she lifted the injured owl into her arms and headed in the direction of the small complex of houses near by. Turning the envelope around in curiosity, she noticed a peculiar seal of wax with a crest she had never seen before. Paying no more attention, she reached the house with the matching sur name on the mailbox and knocked on the door. A well-dressed middle-aged woman answered with a bright smile on her face.  
  
"Guntach!" She greeted, Ami smiled in return and held out the letter, the woman let out a gleeful noise, but noticed the injured owl.  
  
"De owl iz injured! I vill let it rest here for a few dayz, before it goez back to Durmstrang...do you attend there?" She asked Ami curiously, gingerly taking the unconscious owl from the blue-haired woman's arms.   
  
"Nien..." Ami answered in perfect German, "what is Durmstrang?" The middle-aged mother rose her eyebrow.  
  
"Ze zchool...my boy attendz..." at that moment, the puzzled look disappeared from the woman's face when another owl swooped low and dropped another letter, the woman caught it, then handed it to Ami. "Zis iz a letter for you?" She asked, Ami would have said the negative, but her name was scribbled in kanji on a small piece of paper.   
  
"Ja..." She opened the folded piece of paper and noticed it was from Usagi, Ami glanced upwards at the departing owl flying away and felt very confused at the moment. She bid a quick farewell to the middle-aged woman and continued to head for the diner where she had planned to go before her detour.   
  
Finding herself a seat, she slowly read the short letter written from her long-time friend.  
  
Ami,  
  
I realize it's been a while since we've seen each other, but I need you to come home as soon as possible. I can't explain right now, since you may think me crazy, but I need you here now, let me know when you plan to arrive.  
  
Usagi  
  
The short note startled her, but considering the oddity of the letter, and the fact that it was delivered by an owl made her start to worry, then a pang of fear struck her...the Negaverse was back...  
  
****   
  
One week previous...  
  
Usagi Tsukino sat at her apartment window, watching the night sky and sipping a cup of tea, Luna slept soundly on the sofa near by. In the next room she could hear Hotaru moving around playing quietly with her toys. Hotaru was the age of four and had been living with Usagi since infancy. After the defeat of Chaos, Hotaru had once again been reborn a baby instead of returning the same age of sixteen. This time the Outer senshi did not take little Hotaru, instead Usagi had offered and had soon after moved into her own apartment.  
  
Usagi's life had changed quite a bit since the end of her days as Sailor Moon, she didn't miss the fighting, but she did miss her life as a young, innocent teenager who was full of love and happiness But things had changed and all the senshi had begun their own lives and separated from each other. Usagi would be quite lonely if it weren't for the responsibilities she had with Hotaru, she had a job during the day that only made her enough money to pay the bills and have Hotaru in daycare while she was at work.   
  
Mamoru had also parted his ways, but a more painful memory was attached to him, Usagi tried to keep her one-time true love in the depths of her mind, but she was constantly reminded of him, no matter how hard she tried to forget. She could still remember the shock and horror she had experienced when she had found out the truth...ever since then, she had vowed to never give her heart to another again.  
  
Shaking her head, Usagi rose from her seated position and headed for the kitchen to refill her empty tea cup, and checked in on her young foster daughter. A noise coming from the living room in which she had just left startled her, she quickly headed towards it and gasped in shock at the sight that greeted her.  
  
"Greetings, Usagi", spoke a deep, rich voice in clear English, but Usagi understood it.  
  
"Albus..." she smiled in return towards her wizard friend, "can I offer you some tea?" She spoke clearly, but didn't wait for an answer as she hurried to get another cup.   
  
The appearance of a wizard coming through her fireplace did not frighten Usagi, she had met Albus Dumbledore a few years previous and had kept this secret from anyone else. Picking up the second tea cup, Usagi carefully headed back to the living room, trying her hardest not to pull a classic klutz move. Hotaru had bounded out of her play room excitedly, but froze at the entrance of the next room, not recognizing Dumbledore, who had now seated himself on the sofa next to Luna, who did not stir.   
  
"Curious muggle furniture...I rather fancy it", the elderly wizard commented with an amused smile playing his lips. He stopped to brush some of the floo powder off of his long robes and long white beard, he took the tea cup appreciatively from Usagi's hands and waited until she had kneeled on the floor across from him. "That Hotaru? She's grown quite a bit since I last saw her..." The wizard commented, studying the small violet-eyed girl. Usagi motioned for her foster daughter to come to her, the young girl obeyed and gave a small bow towards Dumbledore.   
  
"Konnichiwa", she greeted shyly. "Pleased to meet you..." she continued in choppy English.  
  
"I'm trying to teach her, but since it took me forever to learn English, I'm not exactly the most qualified person." Usagi laughed at the end of her comment and waited for Dumbledore to state the reason for his visit.  
  
As if reading the princess' mind, the elderly wizard's smile faded for a moment.  
  
"I've come to ask a favor of you, since you still owe me one", his eyes twinkled mischievously for a second, before he continued. "I know this is short notice, but I'm going to have to leave my duties as the Headmaster of Hogwarts for a while, and I need you to fill in for me". Usagi had not been expecting this kind of request, and could not find any words to reply with, Dumbledore chuckled at this response, causing Hotaru to laugh at her foster mother as well.   
  
  
"You're serious?" Usagi questioned, insisting silently to herself that she had just hallucinated those last few moments.   
  
"Quite".  
  
"But...but, I'm not Headmaster material...I mean, I can't even teach, let alone be the Headmistress..."  
  
"On the contrary, Usagi, I have full faith in you...one of my students will need a lot of looking after, and I immediately thought you would be the most qualified to fill my position." The elderly wizard smiled merrily awaiting the princess' answer.   
  
"I...I...you're absolutely sure that you want me?" Usagi's crystalline blue eyes flashed in disbelief, but she felt a pang of excitement tug at her. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was probably the most prestigious place of learning in the whole magical world, and she did owe Dumbledore a favor... "I would be honored!" She answered at last. Dumbledore clapped his hands together in merriment.   
  
"Excellent! I will allow you a few weeks to get prepared, then I will come back for you". A large brown owl landed outside of the window and hooted impatiently. Usagi opened the window and let the owl in who buzzed around the room excitedly. "Send me notice by owl post, when you are ready", Dumbledore finalized, then rose from his seat, patted Hotaru affectionately and left with a burst of green flames through her fireplace. Suddenly Usagi felt overwhelmed and bounded into the next room to write a letter to Ami and tied it to the owl's leg, letting it back out of the window to make its delivery, she also made short notes for Rei Hino, Minako Aino and Makoto Kino to be delivered once the owl made its return.   
  
****  
  
Ami walked to where they were unloading the baggage from the airplane. She lifted both suitcases, then headed towards the Tokyo Airport entrance to find Usagi. Sure enough, she soon spotted the short odango-haired blond jumping up and down to peer over the busy bustle of heads moving by. She smiled brightly when she spotted Ami and rushed through the people to meet her blue-haired companion.   
  
"Konnichiwa!" She squealed in excitement. Ami hugged Usagi tightly before they made a mad rush to catch a taxi cab.   
  
Once they arrived at Usagi's apartment, all of Ami's questions seem to spill out all at once, which naturally made the princess' head spin.   
  
"Slow down", Usagi pleaded, "let's have something to drink before I begin." They headed into the kitchen where Ami deposited her bags, and where for the first time she spotted Hotaru in about four years. Hotaru had already prepared tea and smiled shyly towards the blue-haired woman.  
  
  
"How old are you?" Ami asked in question, remembering that Hotaru was only and infant when she last saw her.   
  
"About fifteen now...I think", Hotaru answered, her voice still the meek quiet it had always been.  
  
"She was still four years old a few days ago, but aged over night." Usagi explained, taking a tea cup from Hotaru's hands and gulping the hot liquid down.   
  
"Now, what exactly is the problem?" Ami finally questioned, her curiosity never ceasing to leave her.   
  
"You've got a new job, if you're willing to put the doctor one on hold for a year". Usagi said, smiling brightly.   
  
"What kind of job?"  
  
"As a librarian..." Ami's eyes widened in shock, she had been thinking it crazy to come straight back to Japan without investigating first, and now she conformed her recent thoughts.   
  
"You're serious?" Ami asked in disbelief.   
  
"Of course...but at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry". This answer caused Ami to believe she herself was going crazy. The sound of the doorbell interrupted the odd conversation, and Usagi went to answer it. Rei, Minako along with Artemis and Makoto were outside waiting to be let in. Each of them took their turn welcoming back Ami and gawking at Hotaru before all settling in the living room. "Before I begin..." Usagi started, "I'll have to ask you to give me the benefit of the doubt..."  
  
****  
  
Eternal Sailor Moon stood by herself, her blond locks being whipped across her face by the nipping wind that was blowing violently. Hot, salt tears fell down her cheeks, but she made absolutely no sound, the silence being deafening. Before her the cauldron lay, where the darkness and the light of the galaxy came together to form the stars. She knew her choices, Sailor Cosmos, the mysterious ghost had appeared before her, and spoke of the consequences, but she knew not of what to choose. Either destroy it, or let it remain. If destroyed, nothing would ever come back again, no one would be reborn. But if she left it, there would always be evil to fight, wars to win, battles that blood would be spilled upon. Eternal Sailor Moon took a hesitant step forward, stopping to reason with her contradicting thoughts.  
  
'All I ever wanted was to be a normal teenager'. She thought wistfully, 'all I ever wished for'. She took a moment to shut her eyes, and cleared her mind, before she threw herself into the cauldron.   
  
Cold. Cold was all she felt, her eyes slowly opened, and it took several moments before her vision cleared. She went to yell out, but nothing came from her throat, except a few small noises. Her throat was extremely dry. Eternal Sailor Moon let out a long, slow breath, and watched as it formed fog, she rose her eyebrows when she noticed the fog condensing in front of her.  
  
"N...nani?" She questioned, finally her voice starting to return to her. She reached a sore, and bruised arm forward, her tattered fuku did little to guard her from the cold, nippy air. Softly, she ran her fingers down what appeared to be a small ice wall in front of her. Her heart began to beat faster as she reached around her, noticing she was trapped in a coffin-like ice encasement. She began to beat on the ice to see if she could break herself free, but it did her no aid, as tears sprung from her eyes. She stopped her futile attempts, to wipe the now crystalized tears from her pale, bruised face. Wistfully, she regarded her poor looking reflection in the ice wall. Gathering what little energy she had, Eternal Sailor Moon shut her eyes, and cleared her thoughts, placing her hands on the ice, she willed herself to step through it. It worked, as she stepped outside of her imprisonment.   
  
Opening her eyes, Eternal Sailor Moon inspected her surroundings. Again, she felt a pang of fear, when all she saw was more ice, and a layer of fog covering the area.   
  
"Where am I?!?" She yelled out, hoping to get a response, but only receiving an echo in response. "Somebody answer me!" She again tried, but like before, all she heard was herself. "Is any body there?" She asked, her voice more quiet this time.  
  
"Of course there is", came the reply. Eternal Sailor Moon looked around frantically. Now she was confused, that was definitely another's voice, but she couldn't see anyone. Now she believed her mind to be playing tricks on her.  
  
"Then show yourself". She said, just incase her mind wasn't fooling her. She watched, unbelieving as a shadow formed in the fog, slowly coming towards her. She would've readied some sort of attack, but her energy was totally spent, and she was tired of fighting. Her eyes widened as she made out the figure better, this shadow was in the form of a white-haired man with long silk robes. "Who are you!?!" She asked, panicking, afraid to move, for the fear of losing her sanity.   
  
"My name is Albus Dumbledore." The elderly man replied.   
  
"But how?" Eternal Sailor Moon squeaked. "How did you get here?" She clutched her chest, as a pang of pain raced through her.   
  
"Power down, and I will tell you". Eternal Sailor Moon complied, pulling on the brooch, returning to her civilian self, in a high school fuku. "Your mother's spirit summoned me here..." Suddenly Usagi couldn't understand what the other was saying, not having her powers to make her understand any more. Dumbledore noticed this and pulled out a wand from his robes, "translato..." he murmured, and suddenly, Usagi could understand English perfectly. "As I was saying, your mother has asked me to help you decide what fate you will chose for yourself...as you know, you may remain as you are, or chose to remove the burden from your guardians, and become immortal." Usagi remained quiet for several moments, before Dumbledore took her arm and led her through the ice prison. She could see the faces of her senshi in some of them, and felt confusion once again take over as the elderly wizard stopped them in front of Mamoru's. "It is time you knew the truth..."  
  
****  
  
A half an hour later, the Inner Senshi sat quietly around the coffee table, looking at nothing in particular, having just digested quite a story from their princess. Usagi glanced nervously towards Hotaru, who gave a small encouraging smile in return.   
  
"I say let's do it!" Makoto finally broke the silence with a large grin plastered on her face, "I mean, if Usagi feels she owes a lot to this Dumbledore guy, then so do we, right?" She looked around at the other three senshi, who slowly nodded in return. "When do we leave?" Usagi's face lit up and she called for the owl that had delivered her messages.  
  
"I have to contact Albus, then we'll have to go to Diagon Alley for supplies". As if on cue, the large brown owl hooted excitedly while Usagi tied a note to its leg and let it fly out of the open window.  
  
A few days later the owl had returned and had a note attached along with a small pouch of floo powder.   
  
Usagi,  
  
Come to Diagon Ally on Saturday afternoon, I will have Hagrid waiting for you.  
  
Albus  
  
Usagi inspected the small pouch before announcing the arrangements to the senshi who had made a crowd in her small apartment. Excitement was electric throughout the room as everyone listened intently to the princess' description of how unique this particular small pouch was.   
  
****  
  
Harry Potter sat on his bed surrounded in parchment and books for his summer homework. Life was quiet on Privet Drive in the smallest bedroom of the Dursley's. Harry didn't mind spending his days quietly in his room, though. He spent his time writing to his friends and waiting for replies while imagining what new things would come his way in his fifth year at Hogwarts. His fourth year had been a colorful one, although all his years at the wizarding school were full of adventures, towards the end of the previous year proved to be quite life-changing.   
  
He still felt guilty for the death of Cedric Diggory, despite the fact that Cedric's parents did not blame him. If only he hadn't told Cedric to go on with him...  
  
Shaking the painful memory from mind, Harry picked up the most recent letter from his godfather, Sirius Black, and re-read it over again. Sirius was staying with Remus Lupin for the time being, under Dumbledore's instructions, and kept in constant contact with Harry to make sure his godson was alright and unharmed.   
  
With the new rise of Lord Voldemort, Harry was now under the spotlight more than he had been before, although the students at Hogwarts had made effort to not treat him any differently, after the end of the Triwizard Tournament, everyone had become more cautious around him, which Harry didn't like at all.   
  
His best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were as supportive as ever now, and constantly reminded him that Dumbledore would look after him. Ron had invited to have Harry stay at the Burrow for the remainder of the summer, and Uncle Vernon hadn't refused (keeping in memory of what happened the last summer when Dudley's tongue had swelled from Fred and George's Ton-Tongue Toffee). During the next morning, Harry would be leaving via the fireplace, Mr Weasley would be coming to get him. Suddenly having a rather large yawn, Harry quickly packed away all of his school supplies in his trunk, gave Hedwig some food, and placed the small pouch of floo powder (courtesy of Ron's owl, Pigwidgeon delivering it noisily one night), and fell fast asleep.  
  
The next morning Harry dragged his trunk along with Hedwig in her cage downstairs to the living room, where Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia cowered in one corner of the room.  
  
"Well, goodbye", Harry said cheerfully, but received no answer. Dudley made his way into the room with a piece of apple sticking out of his mouth (Dudley had still been on his diet, and showed very little progress), but immediately left the room clutching his rear end. Harry suppressed a laugh at the sight, and as if on cue, they heard a rather annoyed voice coming from the hole in the wall of what was the electric fireplace once.   
  
Arthur Weasley emerged from the fireplace, his hair and clothes covered in soot.   
  
"Hello Harry!" He greeted, brushing some of the powder from himself. "Hello", he called out towards the Dursley's, who still remained stiff in their spot. "Well, off we go then...incendio!" Flames erupted in the fireplace, "got your floo powder, Harry?" Harry pulled the small pouch out of his pocket, and took some between his fingertips. He threw it into the fire and watched as the flames turned an emerald green.   
  
"The Burrow!" He called as he positioned himself along with his things in the emerald flames, and felt himself being transported away from Privet Drive.  
  
"Harry!" Ron called out excitedly to his best friend and rushed towards Harry as though they hadn't seen each other for years. "Glad you're here!"  
  
"Me too Ron!" Harry called back. Hedwig hooted in annoyance, her usually white feathers were now a pale gray.   
  
"There's so much I want to tell you...c'mon..." Ron dragged Harry along as he talked a mile a minute updating Harry of all the news regarding Fred and George's new joke product line, thanks to the money Harry had given them from winning the Triwizard Tournament.   
  
****  
  
After what seemed like ages, Saturday afternoon had finally arrived, and the senshi crowded around the fire place while Usagi prepared the floo powder to be used. She had asked Luna and Artemis to stay behind, after they had insisted several times that they go.  
  
"Just incase something shows up", Usagi persisted, finally the guardian cats gave in.  
  
"Fine, but we will be going with you to Hogwarts..." Luna finalized.  
  
"Alright, before we go, I'm going to use the ginzuishou to make everybody good at speaking English...it worked for me..." Usagi took a moment, and the crescent moon insignia appeared on her forehead, glowing brightly. Everyone could feel themselves being touched by the magic and suddenly all of the senshi could understand all English.  
  
"Ok, you go one at a time, and once the flames turn green, step in the middle of them, and say clearly, 'Diagon Alley'", Usagi instructed, using English for everything now. Hotaru moved forwards first, Usagi tossed a small amount of floo powder into the flames, as orange turned to emerald green. Hotaru hesitantly stepped into the fire, smiling as the flames seem to be a rather pleasant feeling rather then a burning sensation.   
  
"Diagon Alley!" She said, trying best not to let her Japanese accent make her voice unclear, with a burst of flames, the youngest senshi disappeared from view. The others, except for Usagi, gasped in shock. The princess only smiled brightly and requested for the next one to go.   
  
***  
  
Usagi felt herself being catapulted through the fireplace, and landed with a thud on the other side. She looked up and noticed ash-covered faces looking down at her. On each senshi's forehead, their planet's insignia glowed faintly.   
  
"That was fun!" The princess laughed merrily, and stood up, brushing soot from her clothes, she felt her own forehead grow hot and fingered her own crescent mark, "these will be a permanent mark, while we're in the wizarding world", she explained. The senshi glanced around and noticed how very out of place they appeared, while they were in muggle clothing, the people moving around them were dressed in long robes of every sort of color. Suddenly a rather large figure moved towards them, Usagi knew right away who it was, although the others around her became alarmed. "Hagrid!" She called, the figure made his way towards them, and gave a small bow of his rather large head.  
  
"Greetings! Me name be Rebeus 'agrid, Dumbledore sent me to fetch yeh." Hagrid smiled cheerfully, receiving the same from only the princess. Hagrid noticed this and bowed his head again towards Usagi. "Ye must be the new 'eadmistress..." The half-giant gathered, and was satisfied with his assumption when Usagi nodded in the affirmative. "Great, then...we'll be off to Gringotts now..." The senshi obediently followed behind Hagrid towards a particularly large building, inside where several desks with goblins hobbling about their business. "Dumbledore said ye can get all ye need", Hagrid informed Usagi as he approached the largest of the desks, with a particularly nasty looking goblin favoring a large eagle feather pen. Hagrid pulled a small golden key out of one of the many of his pockets and followed another goblin out of the room.   
  
"Where is he going?" Rei asked, watching as the large man waddled out of sight.  
  
"Getting us some money for supplies", Usagi explained simply. Within a few minutes, Hagrid had returned, handed Usagi a rather large bag of gold galleons, silver sickles and bronze knuts, Usagi nearly dropped the bag from the shock of the heavy weight. Makoto noticed and took the heavy bag from the princess. "Where now, Hagrid?" Usagi asked curiously, rubbing her arms after straining them.  
  
"Off to Madam Malkin's I suppose..." Hagrid mumbled, and led the group towards a shop that sold robes for all occasions. Inside they were greeted by a cheerful seamstress who was busy with a few younger children at the moment. Hagrid handed Usagi a letter containing a list for school supplies, "fer the young 'un..." Hagrid stated, nodding towards Hotaru. He left the senshi alone in the shop, as the senshi were soon waited on by Madam Malkin.   
  
****  
  
A few hours later the senshi, now dressed in appropriate attire along with Hagrid were busy munching on some food (Usagi eating around the same amount that Hagrid was) in a small pub named 'The Three Broomsticks', the senshi had lost their intimidation from Hagrid, as Minako was asking him many questions.   
  
"Dumbledore made me a teacher..."  
  
"What do you teach?" Minako asked, listening in on every word.  
  
"Care of Magical Creatures..." the bubbly blonde continued to ask more questions, Hotaru was eyeing people around her nervously, and tugged on Usagi's sleeve.  
  
"Why is everyone staring at you?" Hotaru asked. Usagi glanced around, still smiling, she too noticed that most of the eyes in the pub were indeed focused on her. While the other senshi were dressed in robes of dark colors (AN: the senshi are dressed in their own colors, i.e., Rei-red, Minako-orange, etc.), Usagi herself was dressed in all white. She seemed to stand out, not just the white cloak, but also the fact that her beauty had only increased, and was unmatchable.   
  
"Don't know", Usagi lied, encouraging Hotaru to finish her meal.   
  
After leaving the Three Broomsticks, they stopped at Flourish and Blotts for Hotaru's school books, then heading over to Ollivander's for their wands.   
  
Hagrid again waited outside, while the senshi went inside, Ollivander was behind his desk, and smiled mischievously towards them. Usagi set some galleons on the table and brought Hotaru forward.  
  
  
"We're going to need some wands..." She said, but was interrupted when Ollivander suddenly had an outburst.  
  
"You are Hogwarts' new Headmistress!" He cried out. Usagi rose an eyebrow.  
  
"Uh...yes, I am...how did you know?"  
  
"Everyone knows! I've been waiting to meet you...it is an honor", Ollivander bowed, then headed back towards shelves full of wand boxes. He bent down and dug out a particularly old box. "This one should be yours", he mumbled, handing the box to Usagi, "no charge, was bought for you already...eleven inches, ebony, moon root, two unicorn hairs..." Usagi hesitantly took the box and opened it, inside was a long, slender, black wand which she took into her hands. Immediately silver light emitted from the end and swirled around her. "Was custom made...by your mother's request..." Usagi looked up towards Ollivander.  
  
"But she lived a long time ago..."   
  
"We've been in business since 382 b.c., she ruled only a thousand years ago..." This made sense, so the princess did not press any further, "now, for everyone else, we'll have to test each one..."  
  
****  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were busy eating various flavors of ice cream after they exited the parlor. Together again, they too were out to purchase school supplies, Mrs Weasley had taken Ginny off to get her what second-hand things she could find (considering how poor the family was). Harry had treated his friends too several sweets, his parents having left a small fortune in Gringotts. Ron looked across the street and elbowed Harry in the ribs.  
  
"Look...there's Hagrid! And woah....who are those women?" The three companions watched quietly as Hagrid led a group of women down the street towards Magical Menagerie which sold animals. "Should we follow?" Ron asked, suddenly getting excited, eyeing the silvery-blond woman with the white robes, "she looks like a veela..." He mumbled, seeing a resemblance between the woman and the Beauxbaton Champion from the Triwizard Tournament, Fleur Delacour.   
  
"That's got to be the new Headmistress", Hermione pointed out, "The Daily Prophet had an article that mentioned she would be extremely beautiful, but she's not a veela, apparently Dumbledore has to take care of things that have caused him to take a temporary leave from being Headmaster."   
  
"Speaking of which...what ever did you do with Rita Skeeter?" Harry asked, remembering how Hermione had captured the rogue reporter while in her animagus state as a beetle. Hermione sniggered in response, she started walking across the street, the boys following on heel.  
  
****  
  
Inside the Magical Menagerie, Hotaru looked around for an animal that might suit her. After several minutes of shaking her head 'no', she finally made her decision and approached her foster mother.  
  
"Couldn't I just use Luna?" She questioned, Usagi's face broke into an embarrassed grin.  
  
"Why didn't I think of that?" She said, patting Hotaru on the back, "you're getting too smart", the princess added. The senshi left the store and was greeted with three new faces. Usagi recognized one of them on the spot from the scar. "The Boy Who Lived!" She squealed in delight and hugged Harry tightly, who was in shock at the moment.  
  
"Bin' tellin' 'arry, Ron and Hermione 'bout all of yeh", Hagrid explained cheerfully. Hotaru backed away shyly, trying to hide behind her foster mother, but Usagi noticed and pulled her out too meet the three young Hogwarts students.   
  
"Hotaru's going to be in your year", Usagi said cheerfully.  
  
"Is she your daughter?" Hermione asked, shying a bit when Hotaru's expression grew colder.  
  
"Adopted anyway", Usagi answered.  
  
"What's your name?" Ron asked, curious to know whether she was related to Fleur or not.  
  
"Usagi Tsukino", the princess replied, but Hagrid intervened.   
  
"That's Madam Tsukino to yeh", Hagrid clarified sternly to Ron, Hermione and Harry. "I be gettin' these ladies back now, ye be on yer way", Hagrid shooed them off, and led the senshi back towards their entrance to the fireplace.   
  
"What do you think?" Ron asked his companions.   
  
"I like her", Harry replied with a smile.  
  
****  
  
The Great Hall was full of noisy chatter, as second to seventh year students were busy catching up on what they had done over the summer. Within a few minutes most of the staff table was also filled up and the Great Hall doors had closed, the sorting would begin soon. One of the teachers who was tight-lipped and had her gray hair tied back in a tight knot, Professor Minerva McGonagall stood and clicked her spoon on her goblet, almost immediately the hall quieted.   
  
"Before the sorting ritual begins, I would like to introduce the new staff members and our new transfer student from Japan...I would also like to remind you that Professor Dumbledore will be away for most of the year, so he has asked a highly qualified witch to fill in..." One of the Great Hall doors creaked open as the senshi made their way through, Usagi in the lead with Hotaru following by her side. The male students were making noises somewhat to the effect of cat calls, Usagi, feeling rather excited, lifted her head to notice the roof seemed to be enchanted to look like it was open to the night sky, and candles floated in midair to illuminate the hall. She didn't notice her foot catching onto the bottom of her white robes, sending her into a dive to the floor.   
  
"Ow..." She murmured as Rei and Hotaru rushed to help her up, suddenly Usagi broke into all smiles and began laughing hysterically, this caused a reaction with the students and laughter broke out spontaneously. Usagi brushed her arms off and continued the way to the ends of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables, approaching Professor McGonagall who asked if the princess was alright. "Just fine...I tend to do that a lot". She insisted, once again pulling Hotaru front and center. "This one needs to be sorted", Usagi clarified, Hotaru felt less nervous as Professor McGonagall smiled warmly at her, placing an old ratty witch's hat on her head.  
  
"Hm....a transfer student..." Hotaru could hear the hat talking to her very softly. "The daughter of the Headmistress...interesting...I see a lot of courage there...and very smart...but your loyalty belongs to your princess which would make you good in Hufflepuff...but I see a darkness in you...a dangerous power if not controlled...Slytherin will help you there...so you go to SLYTHERIN!" The last word could be heard by everyone in the hall, cheers erupted from the Slytherin table as Hotaru was directed to seat herself accordingly.   
  
"Well...shall I show you to your seats?" Professor McGonagall asked politely, directing Usagi to the center seat beside her own, Rei seated where every Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was placed every year, Ami sat in between Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout. Minako and Makoto sat next to each other beside Hagrid at the end of the table. After the senshi were seated, Professor McGonagall walked quickly to the doors of the Great Hall to let in the first years to be sorted properly into the houses.   
  
After the hat's usual speech and the sorting was finished, Professor McGonagall again called for attention to allow Usagi to introduce herself and the senshi properly. Usagi sat up, careful not to make another embarrassing move.   
  
"Welcome back to Hogwarts", she began, careful to remember what she had preplanned, "I am sure you will all miss Professor Dumbledore, but I promise you I will try my best to fill his shoes...I am Madam Tsukino, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts is Madam Hino, your new librarian who will be replacing Madam Pince, will be Madam Mizuno...and as well I've assigned two supervisors over you students incase you need assistance of some sort, Minako Aino and Makoto Kino..." The students murmured softly repeating what they had just heard, making sure to memorize the names. "I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds if off limits...also, no magic should be used in between classes in the corridors...Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term, anyone interested should contact Madam Hooch...that is all for now", with a wide grin Usagi rose her hands just as she had pictured herself doing, and the tables suddenly were filled with all sorts of delicious food. The princess sat down in her chair and dug into her food with great anticipation.  
  
****  
  
"She looks nice", Neville Longbottom commented to Harry, being somewhat of a failure at magic, Neville was hoping to get on the new Headmistress' good side.  
  
"Oh she is", Hermione intervened, glancing towards the staff table, her jaw suddenly dropped, as she pulled on Ron's sleeve. "She eats more than you do", she commented, the others looked towards their new Headmistress as well and began to snigger in amusement.   
  
"What is she using to eat with?" Ron asked, a look of puzzlement crossing his face. Hermione strained to see what the object of interest was, but smiled noticing right away what they were once she recognized them.  
  
"Chopsticks...Asian muggles use them to eat with instead of forks", Hermione answered. Just then Professor McGonagall had seemed to have the same question on her mind, as she leaned over to inquire. Usagi smiled and pulled another set from her robes and handed them over to the Professor, giving short instructions on how to use them. Once the instructions were given, Usagi looked down at the Gryffindor table and winked at Hermione, who waved in response. Taking it as an invitation, Usagi rose from her seat and made her way around the table, walking over to the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Enjoying the food?" She asked, looking between Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville, she smiled brightly at the latter, "I am, it's incredible..." as if to prove her point, she took a sample from Hermione's plate.  
  
"Madam Tsukino...did you go to Hogwarts as a student?" Neville timidly asked, Usagi looked at him for a moment before smiling again.   
  
"No, actually I spent all my time in muggle schools", she said matter-of-fact. Neville's face broke into a wide grin.  
  
"Does that mean you're not really good at magic too?" This comment received a scolding hiss from Hermione, but Usagi only laughed.  
  
"Most things I can do, but some subjects I would probably know less then the first year students", laughter erupted from the others as well at this comment, Usagi's eyes wandered towards the Slytherin table where Hotaru seemed to be sitting alone, "excuse me", she softly said and headed towards the other house table. She approached Hotaru, who was seated in between first and second years. "What are you doing sitting here?" Usagi asked her foster daughter curiously, who had a sad expression on her face.  
  
"I don't know", was the answer. Usagi grabbed Hotaru's hands and pulled her from her seat, moving down towards the fifth year students. One blond in particular caught her eye, she tapped his shoulder to get his attention.   
  
Draco Malfoy was busy talking about the upcoming Quidditch season when he felt his shoulder being tapped, looking up, he noticed the new Headmistress looking quite upset at the moment.  
  
"Please remember that Hotaru is quite new here, I would like it if she is treated like she has been here all five years..." Usagi motioned for Crabbe (one of the larger boys seated next to Draco) to move down a seat, he reluctantly complied, as Usagi forced Hotaru to take his spot. Draco's cheeks gained color as anger arose.   
  
"Mudbloods' don't belong in Slytherin..." he growled quietly, but Usagi had heard him, she narrowed her eyes.  
  
"I do not want to hear that kind of language used here!" She cried out angrily, causing students that were sitting near by to turn their attention to the Headmistress. "What is your name, young man?" She demanded.  
  
"Draco Malfoy, and you shouldn't..." Draco was about to issue a threat, but Usagi interrupted him quite quickly.  
  
"Malfoy...I've heard that name before, and I don't care how special you think you are, to me you are just the same as any other student at this school!" She barked out, her usually pale face now flushed. "I won't take points this time, but if I ever hear that word come out of your mouth again, you will be punished appropriately, am I understood?" Draco, now stunned, nodded his head silently, not being able to place words to what he now felt, obviously he would have problems getting away with trouble, this Headmistress would prove to be a problem. Hotaru's face was whiter then ever, she glanced towards Draco and rose her eyebrows, then turned her attention back to her foster mother, who continued to speak. "Also, I will most assure you that Hotaru is 'pure-blooded', as you would word it, and is quite gifted in magic". With this said, Usagi chose this particular moment to make her return to her seat.   
  
As she was walking back towards the staff table, she glanced along at the teachers, noticing that one in particular with long black hair and a hooked nose had seen the scene with Draco, and was making it obvious that he was not impressed.   
  
Professor Severus Snape glared with his dark obsidian eyes at the new Headmistress, as head of the Slytherin house, he tended to favor his own house, especially Draco Malfoy. He hadn't been happy when Dumbledore announced he'd be leaving someone else in his place for the year, and had become even more unhappy when he had watched the new Headmistress walk into the Great Hall. 'Pitiful', he thought to himself, remembering how she had tripped, and how she had laughed in content after doing so. Next to him sat the new D.A.D.A. teacher, who was probably just as unqualified as the previous teachers. The fact that Madam Tsukino seemed to be foolish, along with her new staff members made the situation that much more bothersome to the Potions Master.   
Usagi tried to avoid eye contact with the professor as best as she could, it almost seemed as though he was trying to bore holes into her very soul, and this frightened her a bit. Obviously she would make the choice to avoid him as much as possible.  
  
Once making it back to the staff table, she chose to go around the opposite side of the black-haired teacher, and stopped when she reached Professor Flitwick.  
  
"Professor, if I might have a word with you after the feast..." Usagi quietly requested, Professor Flitwick nodded in agreement, Usagi moved back into her seat just as the deserts were being sent up from the kitchens below.  
  
****  
  
After the feast was over, students rushed for their own common rooms, the Prefects leading the way ready to give the new passwords to the paintings at the entrance. Ami had already gone for the library to dive into books that she had never heard of before, Rei was feeling rushed, not knowing what materials she would begin with for her first time teaching, Minako and Makoto had both gone along with some seventh-year Ravenclaws of whom they became interested in during the feast. Usagi had followed along with the four Gryffindor's that she had been chatting with earlier after Hotaru had insisted she would be fine on her own (Luna and Artemis were already in the Slytherin Common room, they being treated as regular wizard's pets...).   
  
"That was Snape..." Ron informed, as Usagi told them about the cold glare the professor had sent her, "he's like that with just about everyone...except other Slytherin's..." he continued, making it obvious he did not like the Potions Master either. "He hates Harry the most, though", Ron continued. Usagi gave Harry a questioning look, but Harry didn't have the opportunity to speak for himself as Neville cut in.  
  
"And me, I can never do anything right, and he let's me know it all the time", Neville sated, clearly upset at the fact. Usagi patted him reassuringly on his back.  
  
"I know how you feel...I was never good at anything...and was told so as well", she smiled warmly. "I know you're in opposite houses", Usagi began suddenly, "but Hotaru's going to have a hard time fitting in...I don't suppose you could..."  
  
"Of course we'll make friends with her!" Hermione intervened suddenly, "I can show her around the school grounds tomorrow, we've got Transfiguration with the Slytherins first thing in the morning." The boys groaned at hearing this.  
  
"We've got a trip to Hogsmeade coming up in a few weeks..." Ron interjected, "why don't you come along with us, Madam Tsukino?" He asked, giving a half smile of hope. Harry suddenly had an idea, and added before the princess could answer.  
  
"I'd like it if you met my godfather,Sirius...I think he'd like you..." Harry suggested, remembering that regardless of the danger, Sirius always made an effort to see Harry, not to mention that he was currently staying with Lupin, so he was more likely to agree to meet with them now. Usagi had blushed at the last part of Harry's comment, and nodded.  
  
"I'd like that", she answered not needing to give it any thought whatsoever. "I think all of you should get to your Common room now, though", this made the others aware of the sudden emptiness of the hallways. They gave their goodnights and rushed off towards the Gryffindor Common room.   
  
Usagi smiled to herself, she had done a fair job in her eyes, and the maturing that she had gone through over the last few years really showed now, she seemed to be a natural at being a mentor.   
  
Heading for her own room, Usagi's level of excitement seemed to rise again, the next day would be her first full day of being Headmistress at Hogwarts, things were going to get interesting... 


	2. Close Encounters

****Disclaimer: ~looks wistfully at her cardboard box~ I don't own Harry Potter or Sailor Moon...  
  
****Author's Note: Arigatou!! You people are so sweet! I'm so happy you like this so far...I was so afraid that all I'd get would be flames, since it was such a risky idea. Happy New Year! I actually climbed out of my cardboard box last night to go out and crash some parties...it was fun! I'm looking forward to the new year. And now for some notes:  
  
starfury3000: ~grins~ arigatou! I hope you do keep reading, it makes me feel loved to know people out there appreciate me ~sniff sniff~  
  
sailorsunandchildofthesun: I actually went out and got all four books about a week before I wrote this, just to make sure I knew my facts...I had very little sleep during that time ^-^  
  
Kiwi: arigatou! I tried to get this out as quick as possible  
  
Saturn Shini: very cool...but very scary...muhahahahahaha!!!  
  
Rurouni Tatsu: arigatou for liking!!  
  
Tye-die: arigatou! I try using as many ten-dollar words as possible ^-^  
  
Lady of the Forest: muhahahahahaha!! I feel sorry for Malfoy too....hehehehe, or do I? You're damn right about Usa and the senshi, just you wait ^-^  
  
dinocrisis01: Merci boucoup!   
  
Luna2: hehehehehehe, teach Sevvy a lesson? We'll see...  
  
Tenshi-Chikyuu: I'll try!  
  
solarmistress17, light, Sere: I'm not sure who to pair our gals up with...we'll have to wait and see ;)  
  
BlueFrost: I tend to get that way when I read ficcies too, or novels...hehehe, arigatou for liking !!  
  
The Sovereign of Selenity: ~squeals in delight~ wow! A favorite? Arigatou!!  
  
****  
  
  
Hotaru glanced down at her class schedule for the day. The Slytherins had Herbology with the Gryffindors. She looked up across tables to spot Harry, Ron and Hermione busy talking as well, Hermione glanced up and waved cheerfully, which caused a small smile to spread across Hotaru's lips. Her gaze then trailed along the staff table, where her foster mother spotted her and waved as well, a large smile on her face. Out of what could be classified as fear of the new Headmistress, Draco had agreed to once again have Hotaru seated next to him at the Slytherin table, despite his feelings against it.   
  
"What?" He snapped when he noticed the violet-eyed girl unconsciously watching him. Hotaru snapped out of her trance and shook her head, turning her attention back to her breakfast. Suddenly loud noises of discomfort were being made as a certain bushy-haired Gryffindor made her way along the Slytherin table. Hermione stopped when she reached Hotaru.  
  
"Thought you might like a change of scenery...would you like to sit with us?" She asked, Draco had overheard and displayed his distaste of that suggestion openly.  
  
"A Slytherin wouldn't sit with a Gryffindor...especially when you're a mu..." Hotaru shot Draco a menacing look that made the blonde boy quiet down quite quickly, he nervously glanced towards Usagi, hoping he wouldn't cost his house any points. Hotaru glared for a few moments, before she stood up and headed back to the Gryffindor table with Hermione.  
  
"Thank you", Hotaru said, smiling appreciatively, "Mother doesn't understand that I don't like that boy."  
  
"I don't blame you, I don't like him either", Hermione commented, taking Hotaru lightly by the arm and seating the violet-eyed girl in between herself and Neville. Other Gryffindors near by eyed Hotaru suspiciously, but noone in their particular group noticed.   
  
"'U've 'ot 'erbology with us..." Ron mentioned, his mouth full of food, he swallowed quickly and offered a large toothy grin.   
  
"Is it hard?" Hotaru asked, never haven taken classes in the magical arts before.  
  
"Not if you're partnered with Hermione..." Ron answered. Hermione gave Ron a dirty look, but smiled at Hotaru and patted her reassuringly on the shoulder.  
  
"We can be partners, if you like", she suggested, Hotaru nodded enthusiastically. Suddenly she felt the hairs on her neck rise, Usagi was giving her a disapproving look, but looked away quickly. Hotaru frowned, she didn't like making her foster mother upset, but she didn't like the students in her house...they were cold and cruel. 'I fit right in', she thought to herself wistfully, but shook the thought, as the food on platters suddenly disappeared signifying morning classes would begin shortly. She followed along with Hermione, Ron, Harry and Neville as they made it out to the greenhouses for Herbology.  
  
****  
  
"Well this is different..." Harry commented as Slytherins and Gryffindors made their way into the greenhouse. Shades had been put up over the windows to block out the sunlight, small lamps were lit up around to have just enough light to be able to see. Everyone quietly took seats around the long table in the middle of greenhouse and waited for the class to begin.  
  
Hotaru felt less timid while she sat next to Hermione, who seemed to know the answer to every one of Professor Sprout's questions, they were working with Devil's Snare in the plant's infant stage that morning, Hermione seemed to have first-rate experience with the dangerous plant. Gryffindor had gained another ten points that morning. Professor Sprout was a short pudgy woman, with short gray curls partially kept under a small brown pointed hat. She cheerily called Hotaru to be a volunteer to show what the plant could do.  
  
"That's right dear, don't be afraid now", but Professor Sprout's words did not do the trick as the violet-eyed girl became very frightened when the plant began wrapping vines around her arms, and binding them tight. She let out a yelp, students began panicking, ignoring the Professor's attempt at getting everyone to calm down. "Just relax..." She instructed, but it didn't help, as the Devil's Snare wound around Hotaru's chest. Suddenly the insignia of Saturn began glowing a bright purple on Hotaru's forehead, as anger began coursing through her. Students began backing away from her as this happened.   
  
"Silence..." She whispered very quietly, but very fierce, the plant seemed to understand as she stood very still and very rigid. Vines curled and retreated to the table. The insignia faded and Hotaru returned to normal, she felt very faint, and stumbled slightly.   
  
"Alright, dear?" Professor Sprout softly asked, steadying the violet-eyed girl, Hotaru looked up and nodded in response.   
  
****  
  
During the rest of the class, the shades had been removed from the greenhouse so noone had to attempt the Devil's Snare as Hotaru had done. Hermione didn't ask questions, but gave her worried looks, even though Hotaru had insisted she was fine.   
  
  
After class, the Slytherins and Gryffindors separated to go to their next classes which was Defense Against the Dark Arts with Ravenclaw. Draco suddenly gained some interest in Hotaru, taking her by the arm as they walked along the corridors.   
  
"What was that magic?" He demanded, more as an order than a question.   
  
"I'm not entirely sure", Hotaru insisted quietly.   
  
"Well...could you teach me?" He prodded again, mischief written all over his face.   
  
"I don't know..." She answered with, not enjoying the conversation very much. Draco sighed and released his hold on her arm.   
  
"Fine...but when you do know, I want to know", he finalized, Hotaru just nodded silently. She lightly touched the insignia on her forehead, knowing why she had the power, but not knowing how she had summoned it so quickly. She would have to see her foster mother as soon as possible.   
  
Rei was pacing around her desk at the front of the classroom when everyone was getting to their seats. Draco had himself insisted on sitting next to Hotaru, rather than being asked to, as he now had found a reason to do so that might benefit himself. Rei had settled on her first lesson to be based on what she knew how to use best. Charms.   
  
A stack of Japanese paper charms sat on the middle of her desk, she stopped her pacing to sort out which one she would begin with, deciding the disabling one would most likely be more used, she picked one up and waited for the class to quiet down.   
  
"Good morning..." She began with, enjoying knowing how to speak clear English now. "I was once a priestess at a temple in Tokyo, where I live...I'm going to show you how to use simple charms to use on enemies." She approached the front row of desks. Spotting Hotaru, she gave the violet-eyed girl a smile before continuing on. "These are easy to use and can come in quite useful at times". She went on to explain how many different charms there were, and how many ways you could use them as students copied down what she was saying on their parchment notes. Draco looked towards Hotaru who was also writing down notes, then looked back up towards Rei and muttered,   
  
"What harm could a piece of paper do..." Unfortunately for him, Rei had heard what he had said.  
  
  
"Mr Malfoy..." She began, "how would you like to demonstrate for the class?" Sniggers could be heard from various students, as Draco visibly paled. She motioned for him to come up to the front where she was standing. Getting a sudden burst of pride, he did as he was told and approached Rei.   
  
"What do I have to do?" He asked, reaching for the charm in Rei's hand, but she pulled it away suddenly.   
  
"Oh no, I meant me use it on you", she clarified, slapping the charm to Draco's head. Suddenly Draco felt himself go stiff, and fell over backwards onto the floor. Laughter erupted in the class. "That would be a disabling charm, similar to the spell you use on your wands. The charm tends to wear off rather quickly though, so these should be used when you need a quick attack to get yourself out of a tight situation." As if to prove her point, a groan came from the blonde Slytherin lying on the floor, as he brought a hand to his throbbing head. Rei leaned over and helped Draco to his feet, guiding him back to his seat next to Hotaru. "Anybody else want to try it?" Everybody's hand shot up into the air.  
  
****  
  
"Malfoy actually fell right back?" Ron asked again, eager for every detail he could get out of Hotaru as they made their way towards the Great Hall for lunch. Hotaru nodded, which caused Ron's smile to grow wider, if possible. "I would've given up a year's supply of chocolate frogs to see that..." He insisted, but his stomach thought otherwise and began grumbling, he patted it soundly, "well maybe a few months' worth anyways." They were interrupted when Hedwig flew into the Great Hall and landed in front of Harry, carrying a small piece of parchment.  
  
"It's from Sirius!" Harry exclaimed, reading the note to himself, then reading it out loud to the others.  
  
Harry,  
  
Lupin and I will meet you at the Shrieking Shack on the Saturday afternoon that you will be in Hogsmeade. I'm looking forward to seeing you, and meeting your Headmistress. I hope she's looking after you as well as Dumbledore does, make sure you keep out of trouble. Send notice if anything unusual happens,  
  
Sirius  
  
Harry re-read the letter to himself, before pocketing it, and gave Headwig some food.   
  
"Oh, I can't wait!" Harry exclaimed. Hermione turned to Hotaru.  
  
"You should come with us...since your Mum is going to come." She suggested, Hotaru just nodded silently.   
  
"Where is your Mum?" Neville suddenly asked, as they noticed the Headmistress was missing from her seating at the table.  
  
"I...I don't know..." She insisted.  
  
****  
  
Usagi had her ebony wand pointed right out in front of her at a feather lying on the desk before her.   
  
"Wingardium Leviosa!" She called out, moving her wand to the words. But it didn't work, as the feather remained dormant. Professor Flitwick clapped his hands together, and showed Usagi how to move the wand again. Usagi took a deep breath then tried again. This time she was successful, but instead of sending the feather across the room, Professor Flitwick was thrown back into a shelf of books. Usagi gasped in horror and raced across the room to the Professor's aid. "I'm so sorry!" She cried out, tears pouring down her face.   
  
"I'm alright..." The professor insisted, chuckling to himself, but Usagi wasn't convinced.   
  
"I could've killed you!" She cried out.  
  
"I've been thrown across the room more than once, believe me", Flitwick continued to insist, Usagi finally ceased crying and helped the professor up to his feet, still only standing the height of her legs. "Would you like to give it another try?" Usagi gripped her ebony wand tightly and approached the feather on the desk yet again. Taking a deep breath she concentrated hard.   
  
"Wingardium Leviosa!" She cried out, swishing her wand to the words. The feather on the desk twitched, then began rising into the air, following every move Usagi caused her wand to make.   
  
"Excellent!" Flitwick congratulated, clapping his hands together. Usagi's face broke out into a sunny smile, and she lowered her wand, letting the feather fall to the ground. Suddenly noticing the time, she made her excuses and rushed out of the classroom to get to the Great Hall. Lunch was nearly over.  
  
To her dismay the plates had already cleared off, and most of the students had already left the hall. She spotted Hermione and Hotaru chatting at the Gryffindor table, along with Harry, Neville and the Weasleys. They all looked up when she approached.  
  
"Where were you, Madam Tsukino?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh, I'm taking lessons from Professor Flitwick...I'm lacking in some areas of magic."  
  
"You were crying?" Hotaru asked, her voice holding a hint of worry.  
  
"I accidently sent Professor Flitwick across the room..." This caused fits of laughter from everyone.  
  
"I've done that!" Neville exclaimed proudly. This caused more laughter, Neville's face turned a bright shade of red in embarrassment. He then looked away avoiding everyone else's eyes. Usagi brought a hand to her stomach as it let out a loud rumble of hunger. The noise was so loud, that the group suddenly went quiet again.  
  
"You're hungry?" George asked, a mischievous look sparked in his eyes. "Why don't you just go down to the kitchens to get some food?" He suggested, Ron shot him a disapproving look, but Fred joined in as well.  
  
"We can show you where to go", he added, he and George rose from their seats and motioned to leave the Great Hall.  
  
"You can't do that in the middle of the day..." Ginny scolded, but the twins ignored her, and Usagi didn't know any better.  
  
"I'm the Headmistress...I can go..." She said, her tone soft and innocent. The others mumbled incoherent things towards the twins as they headed out of the Great Hall towards their classes, they just waved it off and led Usagi towards the kitchens. "Don't you have classes?" She asked, but the twins shook their heads.  
  
"Not right now, anyways", Fred answered.   
  
Soon they reached a large painting of several different fruits, George smirked at Usagi, then tickled the pear, which giggled and the painting opened revealing an entrance to the kitchens. All three went inside a rather large area where several house-elves were bustling about.  
  
"What are those?" Usagi asked curiously looking at the small creatures that came up to her knees.  
  
"House-elves, Madam", George explained, "they like doing all this work". They were suddenly interrupted when one of the elves approached Usagi and tugged on her robes to gain her attention. Her reaction was a squeal of delight.  
  
"Oh, how cute!" She said, Fred and George looked at each other.  
  
"Think she's as nutters as Dumbledore?" Fred whispered, receiving a shrug in response.   
  
"Headmistress...surly Headmistress knows Dobby, ma'am", the elf said.   
  
"No, I'm sorry, I don't", Usagi shook her head in regret.  
  
"Dobby been here for a while...Dobby is friend to Harry Potter...Headmistress knows Harry Potter?" Dobby asked, still clutching tightly to Usagi's robes.  
  
"Yes, I know Harry..." The princess still didn't understand why this house-elf was so special just yet.  
  
"Surely Sir told Headmistress she is to pay Dobby?" He continued, his huge eyes glittering, obviously he was getting upset. Usagi was going to say no, but noticing how childlike this creature was, she chose her words differently.  
  
"How much?" She asked. This was the right choice, for Dobby grinned happily in triumph.   
  
"One galleon a week, ma'am." Dobby answered, still grinning. At hearing this, Usagi now understood why Dumbledore had instructed her to keep a small pouch of money on her at all times. She pulled a small brown pouch from her robes and produced a golden coin, then handed it to Dobby, who was beyond excited to receive it. House-elves crowded around to admire the galleon, although when Dobby moved to show it to one, the elves backed away cautiously.   
  
"Dobby, I'm feeling rather hungry..." That word no sooner had left her lips, elves were bringing various types of foods towards Usagi and the twins, all who took it appreciatively and began devouring quickly, the princess more so than the twins.   
  
"They'll bring you anything you want", George said, after swallowing a large mouth full of cauldron cakes. "Handy, really", he insisted, shoving another cauldron cake into his mouth.   
  
After a few minutes, everyone had their fill, and they left the kitchens, Fred and George feeling quite proud that the Headmistress was allowing their wanderings where they normally wouldn't be permitted to go. Soon it was time for the last class of the afternoon, and the twins headed off to their own, while Usagi headed off to find Ami in the library, excited to reveal her new favorite place to hang out.  
  
****  
  
Hotaru stood in front of Hagrid's hut as the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs waited to start the Care of Magical Creatures class. Hotaru and Draco weren't next to each other this class, Draco was still rubbing the back of his head after his fall in the previous class. His mood had worsened considering he loathed this class after he was injured from that Hippogriff. He was still angry at how it had escaped two years ago. Draco also hated the teacher of this particular class...  
  
"'ello e'rybody, 'oday we're goin' to be workin' with drake 'irds..." He motioned towards a few crates, and opened the lid, producing multi-colored birds that had curved beaks and long legs. "'ey don't fly, so ye should 'ave no trouble..." The drakes walked around together in circles, before students began approaching them slowly.  
  
"Ooo...pretty", one Hufflepuff girl cooed, reaching a hand out towards one of the birds. She immediately brought it back with a yelp after the drake snapped at her.  
  
"Careful now...'ey maybe pretty, but 'ey're nas'y little thin's if 'ey don't trust yeh". Hagrid approached the drake that snapped and petted it on the head, the bird seemed to enjoy the touch, closing it's black eyes in response. Hagrid motioned for the Hufflepuff girl to try again. She slowly reached out a hand and petted the drake as well. Hagrid moved back and let the girl try on her own. The drake didn't seem to mind any more.   
  
Other students felt a little braver now, and tried themselves, most of them got away with only one or two snaps before the drakes let themselves be touched. "'rake feathers can be used fer ink..." Hagrid explained, taking a handful of multi-colored feathers from one of his many pockets and displaying them.   
  
"They're not so vicious..." Draco commented, yanking a feather from one of the drakes, who turned around and attacked Draco with a fury of snaps and scratches with it's feet. Hagrid had to forcefully take the bird and place it back inside the crate. Draco was about to make another comment, but Hotaru shot him a deadly glare which made him shut his mouth just as quickly.   
  
"All righ' there?" Hagrid asked, concerned, but only received a glare as well, he ignored it and approached Hotaru, who was petting an appreciative drake. "'ello there, how 'as yer day been?" He asked the violet-eyed girl. Hotaru shrugged, then glanced at Draco again. "Don' let 'im bother yeh", Hagrid said, then hurried to help another student who was having problems.  
  
****  
  
The final class of the day was Divination, Hotaru was happy to be with the Gryffindors again, although Hermione wasn't taking the class herself, she had called it 'a lot of rubbish', and had equally insulting names for Professor Trelawney as well. Luckily, she had Ron and Harry to tag along with, avoiding Draco as much as possible, since he was still upset about the Defense Against the Dark Arts class.   
  
"Oh, you'll like this class..." Ron said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Every time you turn around, somebody else is going to die...I swear, by now, the whole school should be buried..." They made it to the top of the staircase, on the third floor, to emerge in a dark room full of intoxicating fumes.   
  
"Welcome...welcome", Professor Trelawney greeted, her larger-than-life jewelry making loud clanging noises as she moved. The students took their seats, Hotaru seating herself in between Harry and Ron. "It seems we have a new student amongst us..." Trelawney cooed, her eyes closed, she was swaying slightly, her shawl sliding down her shoulders. "She is from Japan..."   
  
"Wow...she's so good..." Ron snorted quietly, Harry sniggered. Professor Trelawney re-opened her eyes and moved towards the trio of two Gryffindors and a Slytherin.   
  
"Welcome dear", she softly said, lowering herself to face Hotaru, Trelawney noticed the symbol on Hotaru's forehead, her eyes sparked with excitement. "The symbol of Saturn...that means death will be around you", she informed, then moved back to the front of the class. Hotaru's eyes widened slightly, but Ron elbowed her.  
  
"So it's your turn now...Harry was supposed to die last year...weren't you?" Ron asked, glancing across Hotaru at Harry.  
  
"Yeah..." He brushed the hair from his forehead to show Hotaru his scar, "see? Don't believe a word out of the professor's mouth, just play along". Hotaru didn't need to play along, though, she knew she would be good in this class, considering she was quite in tune to visions of death and despair. Professor Trelawney motioned for Hotaru to come to her desk suddenly, she did as she was asked, and approached slowly.   
  
"Last year, we tried reading the crystal ball...tell me what you see when you look inside..." Hotaru bent forward and peered into the white clouds swirling around inside of the ball, suddenly images began to form.  
  
"I see my Mother", Hotaru said, her voice in barely more than a whisper. Trelawney felt herself get excited.  
  
"Excellent..."  
  
"There's a dark figure with her..." Hotaru could see someone else beside the princess, taller, but the image wasn't clear.  
  
"The Headmistress is in danger..." Trelawney concluded, but another image made Hotaru conclude other wise. She saw Minako also appear in the crystal ball, smiling brightly.  
  
"Venus!" Hotaru said, her voice now at a normal level. Trelawney clapped her hands together.  
  
"Not in danger, she will fall in *love* soon!" Rising from her seat, she motioned for Hotaru to take her seat. "Well done, truly Miss Tsukino has the gift of the Inner Eye...hopefully we'll get more visions from her during your time in this class..." Sitting down, Hotaru noticed two Gryffindor students shooting her looks of envy, Hotaru asked Harry who they were and he told her not to worry.  
  
"Just Parvati and Lavender, they actually enjoy this class..." The professor was telling other students about misfortunes that they would soon endure, Hotaru faded off to her own thoughts, and about her prediction which didn't seem possible at all since Usagi had insisted she would never give her heart to any man after what had happened between her and Mamoru.  
  
****  
  
"Fall in love? Are you sure?" Hermione asked, everyone was now seated in the Great Hall eating their evening feast. Hotaru nodded in response. "Probably not true, Trelawney's a fraud as far as I'm concerned."  
  
"But it was my vision", Hotaru mentioned, her eyes trailed towards her mother who was eating a lot, as usual. "Maybe I should tell her?" But that wasn't necessary, as Professor Trelawney was sitting on Usagi's other side and suddenly had turned to speak to the Headmistress.  
  
"You're daughter made quite a happy prediction today...which is rare", Trelawney began to Usagi, who looked over to the Divination professor and laughed.  
  
"Really? Go on..."  
  
"Venus is smiling on you, you will find love soon". Usagi continued to laugh after hearing this, Hotaru had probably seen Minako, not Venus the planet. "You do not believe it?" Trelawney asked, disappointedly.   
  
"I doubt it's going to come true..." Usagi insisted, looking towards her plate again.   
  
"It is not up to us to decide our fates...it is up to the stars..." Trelawney angrily stated and returned as well to her own plate. Usagi knew that what Trelawney said was partially true, her destiny had been preplanned, but things had changed and now she was trying to control her own life...Dumbledore had helped her do that.   
  
The plates vanished after the feast was done, Usagi quickly made her way down to the Gryffindor table to speak to Hotaru, who still sat quietly next to Hermione.   
  
"Professor Trelawney told me about your prediction", Usagi informed, Hermione snorted at hearing this, but Hotaru looked up at her foster mother, her eyes glittering.   
  
"I didn't think it was true..." Hotaru said, Usagi laughed.  
  
"And I don't think it is either, so don't worry about it."   
  
"See?" Hermione said, smiling, Hotaru smiled back.   
  
"Do you think maybe Luna should know?" Hotaru asked, just to be on the safe side. Usagi shook her head in the negative and patted Hotaru reassuringly on the back.  
  
"She and Artemis have spent their day in the library with Ami busy reading books...it seems that's not such a strange thing to be seen around here", Usagi said, giggling at the thought of it.   
  
"Are you going to try out for Quidditch?" Ron suddenly asked the unsuspecting violet-eyed girl, who's eyes widened.   
  
"Try out for what?" She asked, Usagi as well was sharing her ignorance of the word.  
  
"You don't know what Quidditch is?" Ron asked in disbelief, then jumped into a long explanation of the game played on broomsticks.  
  
"We're going to need a new Keeper", Harry interrupted with, beginning to fill with worry, he himself positioned as the Seeker remembered how it was Oliver Wood's last year two years ago, and no Quidditch was held the previous year due to the Triwizard Tournament.   
  
"Yeah...wonder if I could try for it..." Ron dreamed out loud, his brothers sniggered at the idea.   
  
"Haven't you ever ridden on a broomstick?" Harry asked Usagi, who shook her head.  
  
"No, it sounds rather dangerous."  
  
"Well that's the whole fun thing out of it", Ron seemed to pop out of his dreamworld. "Why don't you teach her, Harry?" He suggested, "You haven't been able to use the Firebolt in Quidditch for almost two years now." Harry seemed to agree with this suggestion and offered to show Usagi how to fly, she readily agreed and headed off to find the other senshi to have them learn as well.  
  
****  
  
The night air felt warm for a September evening. The senshi stood in the middle of the Quidditch field listening to Harry's instructions. Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Ron and the twins gave their own versions on how to learn, nearly confusing the senshi. Usagi was volunteered by Rei to go first, the princess was rather frightened, but forced herself to smile nonetheless. Cautiously taking hold of the Firebolt, she mounted it, and kicked off into the air.   
  
Feeling the rush of the wind beneath her would've been rather exhilarating, had it not been for the loud screaming Usagi was doing. She had no control whatsoever, and couldn't hear the loud instructions being shouted out to her by those still on the ground. The Firebolt seemed to have a mind of its own and was whipping her all over the place. Finally she had gripped the handle tightly and forced it to point towards the ground. The Firebolt pummeled straight down, sending Usagi into a steep nose dive.   
  
"Harry, do something!" Hermione yelled, getting very nervous, hoping her Headmistress wouldn't die on her first day there. Harry closed his eyes tightly and said his summoning charm.  
  
"Accio Firebolt!" He yelled out, his broomstick, along with Usagi on it changed its direction and flew right towards Harry, stopping only a few inches from the ground in front of him. Fred helped Usagi pry her hands from the handle, and steadied her while Harry collected the Firebolt.   
  
"I think I'm going to be sick", she whimpered, holding her hand to her mouth and the other to her stomach.   
  
"Who's next?" Ron asked, changing the subject, he received glares, but Makoto rose her hand and volunteered. Harry gave her the broomstick, not needing to give her instructions, instead he gave her a good luck.   
  
Makoto mounted the broom and kicked off the ground. She didn't lose control however, in fact, she seemed to be quite a natural. Makoto yelled out in excitement as she rode around the Quidditch field, weaving in and out of the goal posts, as though she was made to do so. After a few more minutes, Makoto touched down on the ground with a wide grin plastered on her face.   
  
"Oh, me next!" Minako chimed out, taking the Firebolt from Makoto's hands, who didn't wish to give it up so quickly. Just as Makoto, Minako also seemed to be a natural at flying, she herself being the self proclaimed athlete of the senshi. As soon as she finished, she offered the broom to Rei, who refused after witnessing Usagi's attempt. Ami also refused, preferring to keep her feet on the ground. Finally it was offered to Hotaru, she too wanted to say no, but Usagi had insisted otherwise, since she regained her regular heart beat.  
  
"Don't be afraid, I'm not an athlete, and will probably remain that way, you however..." They were interrupted when a new voice was heard.  
  
"Trying to kill a Slytherin, Potter?" Draco Malfoy sneered, carrying his own Nimbus 2001. "You already nearly succeeded in killing our Headmistress..."  
  
"That's not true, Malfoy!" Harry countered, Ron and Hermione glared towards Draco as well, causing a high tension in the air.  
  
"Enough...Draco, I was simply trying to fly myself, it seems I belong on the ground", Usagi insisted, her voice not cold like the others.   
  
"Yes Madam", Draco said, although more out of fear then respect. "But I think that Hotaru should have a fellow Slytherin teach her...and I *am* the Seeker on our team, so I would be best qualified". Sniggers could be heard from some of the others, but Draco didn't seem to notice as he offered his broomstick to Hotaru.  
  
"He just wants to use her..." Ron mumbled, receiving a cold glare from the blonde. Usagi was delighted, though, and encouraged Hotaru to learn.  
  
"I'd rather not..." She insisted, but everyone else prodded her on to go ahead. Reluctantly the violet-eyed girl took the broomstick and kicked off the ground, slowly rising into the air. She wouldn't allow the broomstick to rise too far of the ground, but she did seem to have a fair time at controlling the Nimbus 2001. After a couple of minutes, she came back to the ground and handed the broomstick back to its owner. "Thank you", she said to Draco softly. He smirked, obviously happy with regaining Hotaru's attention.   
  
"How 'bout a race, Potter?" Draco suddenly suggested, Harry's eyes glittered and he nodded enthusiastically. It was a matter of seconds before both boys were in the air racing around the Quidditch field. Everyone was cheering loudly, but the race didn't last long before Harry's Firebolt had taken quite a lead. Both boys touched back down on the ground and began arguing quite loudly.  
  
"Alright, time to go back in", Usagi interrupted, "I want everyone back to their Common Room". A few groans sounded, but the group reluctantly headed back inside, Usagi followed along with Draco and Hotaru towards the Slytherin Common Room, wishing to speak with Luna and Artemis.  
  
Hotaru called for the guardian cats as soon as they entered the Common Room. Luna and Artemis were up in Hotaru's room already, but made their way down.   
  
"How do you like Hogwarts?" Usagi asked, smiling from ear to ear.  
  
"Lots of things to do..." Artemis commented.  
  
"I'm surprised that you were never enrolled to begin with", Luna commented, "it seems that you fit in here".   
  
"Don't I? If my parents could see me now..." She drifted off dreamily, but snapped out of it when Hotaru announced she was tired. Usagi hugged her and sent her off to bed, she turned her attention back to the cats. "Professor Trelawney told me that Hotaru had a vision in Divination today. It seems that she saw myself falling in love...?"   
  
"I wouldn't believe it", Luna concluded after a thinking about it for a few moments. "If she saw Minako it would more likely involve her as apposed to the actual planet."  
  
"That's what I thought..."  
  
"Yeah, and you know Minako", Artemis added, "she's always trying to fix everyone up together". Usagi smiled, then thought of what Harry had mentioned about his godfather, and Hogsmeade weekend coming up. 'Better not bring her', she thought to herself.   
  
"Alright, well, I better leave before any students get suspicious", she waved and left the Common Room back out of the entrance, the portrait swinging shut behind her.   
  
The corridor was dark now, save for a few lamps lit along the way. Usagi began walking slowly, as to not cause herself an accident from poor vision. A shiver ran down her spine suddenly, as a cold breeze touched the back of her robes. A hand grabbed her arm, and jerked her around sharply, she would've screamed, but she recognized the cold black eyes that stared into her own at that moment.   
  
"Professor Snape..." she began, but was interrupted by the cool velvet purr of his voice when he spoke sharply.  
  
"What were you doing in the Slytherin Common Room?" He accused, narrowing his eyebrows, "picking on Malfoy again?" Usagi felt defensive and pulled her arm out of his grip.  
  
  
"I never picked on him..."  
  
"Yes you did!" Snape interrupted again, not allowing the princess to speak, "I watched you, yesterday".   
  
"He was being rude...I merely..."  
  
"You merely played favorites..."  
  
"I did no such thing!" Usagi wasn't feeling cold anymore, she was getting heated up from anger. "I treat every student equally!" Snape snorted at this, he obviously did not think so, and continued on with his accusations.  
  
"How did Malfoy know your daughter wasn't what he thought she was...it was only a harmless assumption, and you decide he was being..."  
  
"He was! And I don't think he should be using that kind of language..."   
  
"What if she was a *mudblood*? How should he have known if you yourself weren't a..."  
  
CRACK!  
  
The sound echoed through silence as Usagi's hand connected firmly with Snape's face. Neither one moved for several moments as time ceased to exist right then. After Usagi clicked back into reality, she lowered her now reddened hand and took a calming breath. Snape's glare had deepened, but suddenly found himself speechless, Usagi, however, wasn't.  
  
"No wonder Draco has a filthy mouth...look where he gets it from..."  
  
****  
AN: A lot of thanks to Megami*Silence who has given me a lot of ideas!! Hogsmeade Weekend next chapter!! Promise!!! 


	3. Quidditch and Hogsmeade

------------****Disclaimer: I don't own 'em ~rips cardboard box angrily~ ooohhh! What have I done?!? ~starts crying~ I need a new cardboard box!  
  
****Author's Note: Wow! I can't believe I'm getting such nice reviews...I'm starting to come down to a decision about who our favorite heroines will be paired with, and I've got a vague idea...remember, Hotaru's vision didn't give a specific guy...hehehehehe....  
And now for the thank you's:  
  
Sailor Bree: hehehe, hai!   
  
Kiwi: I did, but gomen for this one being late...I've got a busy, busy life!  
  
Tenshi-Chikyuu: Arigatou! You're so nice! Hmmm...Draco/Hotaru...I suppose people could see that coming, although it'll be hard if I want to keep our fav bad-boy student in character...and Snape/Usa? Oof...I dunno...I'm getting more votes to put her with Sirius...and they do hate each other...er...  
  
JasonC: I promise I'll answer all questions soon!!  
  
Solus Nox: hehehe, wanted to try something new  
  
Blue Frost: I'm glad you brought that up, 'cause it drives me nutters when people make characters totally ooc...takes the good right out of the fic  
  
Sharem: Oh yes, I had fun writing that part ;)  
  
Makura Koneko: Ron is so cute!  
  
Sapphireskies, blue wind, alexz, catlion: oof...I don't know, we'll see how the meeting between them goes, but I'm still musing over who she'll end up with, if she's going to end up with anybody at all...  
  
Starfury3000: hai, lots of possibilities, but your guess is as good as mine ^-^  
  
TheSoverignofSelenity: now that you've mentioned it, I read the Yami interview, it was funny!! And the vision will have meaning, but I'm not sure of what yet ~grins sheepishly~  
  
  
****  
  
Two weeks had passed quickly, life at Hogwarts had suddenly gotten more exciting considering the Quidditch season was about to begin. Harry was itching to try out the Firebolt in the first Quidditch match in nearly two years. It was early on a Saturday morning, Harry had just waken up from Ron's excited chatter in the Gryffindor tower, he was considering trying out for the Keeper position himself, although the twins continued to make fun of him. Harry quickly dressed in his Quidditch robes and gripped his Firebolt tightly, rushing outside to the Quidditch pitch, Ron, Hermione and Neville following closely behind.   
  
Harry was all too excited about the weekend, Saturday would consist of Quidditch try-outs and team practice, and Sunday was the first Hogsmeade trip of the school year. He couldn't wait to introduce his new favorite Hogwarts adult to his godfather and his former DADA teacher. Harry gave an enthusiastic wave to Usagi as he approached the Headmistress on the Firebolt. She warily eyed the broomstick before breaking out into a sunny smile.  
  
"Good morning", she said, as the others rushed out to meet her as well. "Lovely day to be outside..." She commented, her crystalline eyes glittering merrily, she glanced towards Madam Hooch who was talking with some Hufflepuff players. "It seems some positions need to be filled..." Usagi commented, but was cut off when another figure approached the group.   
  
"And the new Keeper better be good too..." Oliver Wood commented, he smiled towards Harry, who's face lit up brighter than Usagi's. "Hello there, Potter, good to see you again!" The burly Irish boy greeted, giving Harry a friendly slap to his arm. "Some pretty good prospects..." He glanced towards Minako and Makoto who were practicing as well, he caught Minako's eye and she rushed over to join the group.  
  
"Oh, Oliver! Are you staying for the whole day?" She asked, clasping her hands together and pouting. "You're so cute! It would be a shame to see you leave!" Usagi rolled her eyes, but Wood's cheeks colored a bit as he gave Minako a shy smile.   
  
"Sure I am, you are trying out?" He asked suddenly, but the suggestion seemed to be a good one, Minako looked at Usagi, raising her eyebrows in question.  
  
"Could I, Usa-chan?" She asked, "Mako and I could fill in the missing positions for Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, you know". Usagi considered it for a moment, not knowing whether it'd be fair or not, but considering they were pretty close to seventh-years anyways, she smiled and nodded her head.  
  
"I don't see why not", Usagi answered with, Minako smiled happily and latched onto Wood's arm, she then squealed in delight.  
  
"Arigatou!!" She thanked her princess, the use of Japanese didn't seem to fizz on the others, as they all knew the origin of their new staff, although Hermione seemed to mouth the word, storing it in her memory. Makoto had noticed the absence of her companion, and walked over to the group, she gave Wood a wink.   
  
"What'd I miss?" She asked, looking around.  
  
"Usa-chan's going to let us be on the Qudditch teams!" She chimed out happily, Makoto's face spread into a grin.  
  
"Sugoi! Arigatou, Usa-chan!" Makoto's grin suddenly faded, she turned to Minako and tightened her grip on her broomstick. "Who's playing Seeker, and who's playing Keeper?" She challenged, glaring at the hold Minako had on Wood. The Irish boy noticed and detached himself from the bubbly blond, moving closer towards Harry, Usagi noticed and intervened.  
  
"Why don't you both try out for either position, then the best one will be assigned to either team." Usagi smiled in triumph, she had made a wise suggestion, and found herself very happy at the idea. Minako and Makoto continued to glare at each other as they approached Madam Hooch to explain the arrangements. They mounted their broomsticks and flew into the air, towards the already air-born Hufflepuff team, who required the new Seeker.   
  
Rei had walked out to the pitch by this point, learning quickly of what was going on. Everyone on the ground watched the air, amused, as Minako and Makoto took turns playing either position with the Hufflepuff team. When it was Minako's turn to play as Keeper, she seemed to have a tenancy to knock the Quaffle as though it were a volleyball, sending it hurtling towards the ground. She gave out an excited squeal of delight at this, shooting Makoto sneers.   
  
"She's a natural..." Wood mumbled out loud, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "She'd make an excellent replacement." As if to prove the point of which would make the better Keeper or Seeker, Makoto dove for the snitch and grabbed it just before crashing into the ground. As soon as both of them landed, they were bombarded by all those who were on the ground. Minako and Makoto, however were still arguing.   
  
"I still think I'm faster", Minako insisted, narrowing her eyes at Makoto, "I'd make a good Seeker", and Makoto shook her head, but stated her thoughts as well.  
  
"I'd make a good Keeper, considering I am tougher than you...but I'm the faster one..." They continued to argue, until Rei gave each a slap to the side of the head, the DADA teacher looked towards Wood.  
  
"You pick", she suggested, but Wood was at a loss for words, as both Makoto and Minako were giving him pleading looks.   
  
"I'll have to think about it", he muttered, starting a new argument involving the rest of the group.  
  
****  
  
It was especially noisy in the Great Hall at lunch time. Other students had approached Oliver Wood, as soon as he was spotted, and noisily fought for his attention. Usagi had saved him, though, and suggested he seat himself with Harry to keep himself safe from the still-arguing senshi.   
  
"Don't feel bad, Oliver, they do this all the time", Usagi had said, "*all* the time". She also seated herself at the Gryffindor table, which did earn her a few looks from others, but she payed no attention. She glanced towards the Slytherin table, she could see how Draco was attempting to earn Hotaru's attention, but was failing, as her foster daughter continued to hold a solitary demeanor. She frowned at this, but decided against intervening again.   
  
"How are your lessons going?" Hermione asked, snapping Usagi back to the Gryffindor table.   
  
"Good, actually", she said, which was truthful as she was a slow learner, but once she knew what she was doing, it came natural. Charms wasn't the only subject that she was lacking knowledge in, however, there was one more subject, which caused her to glance towards her would-be tutor if she had decided to ask for lessons.   
  
She had caught Snape's eyes, if only for a moment, before she looked away, the memory of the first night still lingered freshly in her memory. After making the comment about Draco, she had immediately turned and walked away, Snape had not followed, and had not made a counter to the comment. After that night, she had avoided the Potions Master at all times, and seemed to be lucky enough that they did not encounter each other at all again. Usagi hadn't told any one about the scene, as a pang of guilt did take over, although thanks to the horror stories she received from those who were not fans of the professor, the guilt was only slight.   
  
"Is something wrong?" Hermione asked, Usagi looked up, but shook her head, then returned a sunny smile.   
  
Meanwhile, at the Slytherin table, Draco continued to ask Hotaru all sorts of questions, but received little to no answers. The violet-eyed girl merely studied her plate of food as though it were the most interesting thing in the world.   
  
Hotaru fit in well at Hogwarts, she seemed to excel in every class after Hermione had helped her get up to speed in what she had missed. So far Divination was her best class, but only because she had always had the 'Inner Eye', as Professor Trelawney would put it. She had earned self-proclaimed rivals, Gryffindor students, Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown, who used to be Trelawney's favored students. Ever since her first class, however, Hotaru had taken the role as 'teacher's pet', although neither herself, nor her foster mother believed the vision.   
  
Another student that posed a bit of a problem was Pansy Parkinson. The pug-faced Slytherin girl had a mad crush on Draco, although she didn't seem to understand that Hotaru had no interest in the blond-haired boy at all. Draco was getting on her nerves a little too much, trying to find out every little thing he could about her. Hotaru wouldn't reveal, though, as instructed by her foster mother, she was never to speak of what she really was.   
  
"Aren't you ever going to say anything?" Draco demanded, annoyingly. Hotaru sighed, but decided that the only way she was going to get rid of the blond-haired Slytherin, was if she opened up, if only a little bit, reluctantly.  
  
"I don't have special powers..." She said, glancing at Draco, he sneered and continued to annoy her.  
  
"I don't believe you...I saw that mark on your head glow..." He mentioned pointing towards the symbol of Saturn on her forehead. "What wizarding family does your mother come from? I've never heard of the Tsukino's...sounds like a muggle name to me..."  
  
"It is a muggle name...my mother was raised by muggles...but her real mother was very powerful." Hotaru watched what facts she gave out as to not reveal too much.  
  
"Oh? What was her real mother's name?" Draco continued to prod.  
  
"I don't know...she's never told me".   
  
"That doesn't seem right to me", he sneered, "I know all about my family history". Hotaru shot Draco a glare.  
  
"My mother says she will tell me when the time comes", Usagi still had refrained from telling the whole story about her first encounter with Dumbledore, there were facts that the princess had left out, that Hotaru still wondered about. Luna and Artemis were just as silent, and wouldn't answer any of the violet-eyed girl's questions whenever she would ask.   
  
"Will you show me how to do that trick with the repelling charm?" Draco decided to change the subject quite quickly after Hotaru went into silence again. Hotaru rose an eyebrow.   
  
"What repelling charm?"   
  
"The thing you did to the Devil's Snare...can you show me how to do that?" This was an interesting question, which Hotaru didn't know how to answer.  
  
"I'm not sure how I did it..." She truthfully said, shrugging her shoulders.   
  
"Ask your Mother", Draco suggested, feeling eager to learn new more powerful skills to impress his father with.   
  
"No", Hotaru said simply and left the table, leaving Draco to sulk out loud.  
  
****  
  
Sunday morning approached not quickly enough, Harry and Ron rose early again that morning, quite unusual for the weekend, but were too excited to sleep in. They hurriedly dressed and rushed down to the Common Room where Hermione was waiting for them. She placed her hands on her hips.  
  
"What took you so long?" She asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice, she received dirty looks from both boys, but then all three rushed out of Gryffindor tower and down to the Great Hall to meet Usagi and Hotaru. Only the violet-eyed girl was there, though, she joined Harry, Ron and Hermione as soon as they rushed in.  
  
  
"Where's...your...Mother?" Ron asked, out of breath, and breathing hard.   
  
"Probably slept late again..." Hotaru mumbled, but they were interrupted by a flustered Headmistress as she rushed into the Great Hall herself, looking disheveled.   
  
"Sorry...hate...mornings..." She forced out, producing grins from the others.   
  
"Do you think maybe we should bring some food with us?" Ron asked, remembering the last time Harry met up with Sirius, he seemed starved and devoured what Harry had brought him in no time.   
  
"That might be an idea..." Three pairs of eyes looked towards Usagi, who knew exactly what they had in mind.   
  
"Let's go to the kitchens..." She suggested quietly, "I owe Dobby his pay still".   
  
****  
  
Several students ranging from third year to seventh poured through the entrance to Hogsmeade excitedly, many of them heading straight for Honeydukes to spend all their money on various sweets. However, a group of five made their way towards the infamous Shrieking Shack instead. It wouldn't have looked too out of place, four students chancing the haunted place, but considering the Hogwarts Headmistress donning a long white cloak with a hood pulled over her head caused several people to look their way as they walked down the street. But none in the group seemed to mind at all.   
  
They reached the Shrieking Shack within a few minutes, Harry in the lead and Usagi in the rear, they let themselves in and followed along the hallway to the room where Harry had first met Sirius two years previous.   
  
"Sirius!" Harry called out, filling the now-silent house with a loud echo. They heard a reply, and knew that both Sirius and Lupin were waiting for them. "We brought food!" Harry added, slowly emerging into the room of interest.   
  
A crackling fire was lit in the fireplace (AN: there is no mention of a fireplace in this room in Prisoner of Azkaban, I'm just adding for my own purposes ^-^), Sirius was standing by it, his hair still long and near his elbows in length. Lupin was seated in a chair by the bed, still dressed in shabby robes. They both came over to greet Harry when he entered the room, Ron and Hermione following closely behind. Hotaru came in next, an amused smile playing on her lips listening to the near-by cursing of her foster mother at not being able to see in the dark.   
  
"This is Hotaru Tsukino, she's the Headmistress' daughter", Harry mentioned, Hotaru nodded shyly towards Sirius and Lupin. Finally Usagi found her way to the room, still muttering curses under her breath, but then lowered her hood to get her first glimpse of Harry's infamous godfather and past DADA teacher. For the first time since they first entered the Shrieking Shack, silence filled the house as Headmistress, godfather and werewolf studied each other. Sirius seemed to hold a shocked expression on his face, Usagi noticed and broke the silence.  
  
"Is something wrong?" She questioned, raising her eyebrows. Sirius shook his head.  
  
"No...I was just expecting someone..."  
  
"Prettier?" Usagi asked, smiling sweetly, Sirius chuckled, Lupin had a smile playing on his lips as well.  
  
"On the contrary, I was going to say *older*, and if I may...you're quite pretty..." This produced a deep red color to grace Usagi's cheeks. They even turned deeper, when Sirius took her hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles. "I am Sirius Black, and I'm pleased to meet you, Madam Tsukino", he made the proper introduction. Usagi nearly melted, but giggled instead. After Sirius let go of her hand, Lupin approached and also took her hand to kiss it as well.  
  
"I am Remus Lupin, and I am charmed as well", he said. If it was possible, all evidence that Usagi had pale skin disappeared as she turned positively scarlet.  
  
"I am charmed too", she forced out, her cheeks beginning to hurt from the wide grin on her face, "forgive me, but I'm not used to such customs..." She mentioned, as the greetings she just received were very different from Japanese customs. Lupin suddenly went pale as he eyed the crescent mark on Usagi's forehead. She noticed and brushed her fingers lightly over the mark.  
"Don't worry about that, the mark doesn't have the same effects as the real moon". Lupin calmed at hearing this, "it's just a birthmark..."  
  
Harry deposited whatever food items he had hid under his robes on the bed, after seeing this, all others with such items followed suit. Sirius eyed the food hungrily, a lopsided grin spread across his face.   
  
"Madam Tsukino let us sneak into the kitchens..." Ron mentioned, stuffing a cauldron cake into his mouth, "bloody convenient, I never seem to be able to get enough at breakfast..." Hermione shot Ron a disapproving glance, but the red-head didn't seem to notice. But the comment produced laughter. Lupin motioned for Usagi to take his seat, but she shook her head and lowered herself to her knees on the floor near the fireplace. The other students followed suit, removing their school robes, which were much lighter than a few moments before. Usagi also removed her cloak, she had on a white gown with sleeves that started at mid-biceps and trailed to end at a 'v' on her hands. The bodice was shaped much like a corset, although backless.   
  
"I've heard a lot about you both..." Usagi mentioned. Sirius had resumed his leaning position against the wall near the kneeling group, while Lupin had re-claimed his chair.   
  
"Unfortunately, we haven't had the same pleasure." Lupin commented politely. Sirius intervened once again with his blunt comments.  
  
"Are you married?" He suddenly asked, taking notice that Usagi was not wearing a wedding band. The princess blushed in response, glancing at the floor for a brief second, but then meeting Sirius' eyes.   
  
"No", she said, "why do you ask?"  
  
"You have a daughter..." Sirius pointed out, motioning towards a quiet Hotaru.  
  
"Foster daughter..." Usagi gave Hotaru a sunny smile, "I adopted her as an infant, although I love her as though she were my own." Briefly, the memory of Chibi-Usa played itself in Usagi's mind, but she quickly willed it away, as to not wishing for the pain. "I was the only one who could offer her the care she needs..."  
  
"Yeah, Hotaru has an interesting form of magic, I saw it during Herbology." Hermione mentioned, both Sirius and Lupin rose their eyebrows at this, Usagi's eyes widened and she glanced towards Hotaru.  
  
"You had an outburst? Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, sharply. Hotaru gulped and warily eyed her foster mother.  
  
"I didn't know it was a big deal..."  
  
"Not a big deal! Not a big deal?!? I don't want everyone at Hogwarts to know that you're the senshi of death..." She suddenly stopped speaking, bringing her hand over her mouth.   
  
"What?" Ron asked, the others looking at the princess intently, curiosity written all over their faces. "She's the *what*?"  
  
"Uh...nothing...nothing..." Usagi laughed nervously, but the others' expression failed to change. With a sigh and a glance at her foster daughter, she took a deep breath and created what explanation she could without giving away too much. "Hotaru is...advanced...she draws her magic directly from Saturn, it's nothing unusual of course, but she has not yet learned to control the power, which is the reason she had the *outburst*".   
  
"Do other wizards or witches have this power?" Hermione asked. Usagi nodded, obviously she herself knew she was lying.  
  
"It is an uncommon gift, but it can be learned, or one could be born with it", inwardly Usagi winced, she didn't like the secrecy, but she had herself decided the senshi would keep their true identities a secret until they could be appropriately revealed.   
  
"Does that mean you draw your power from the moon?" Hermione asked, motioning towards the crescent mark on the princess' forehead. Again Usagi nodded.  
  
"It took me awhile to learn to use my gift, as I said before, I had all my schooling in muggle schools." Usagi's story worked, everyone appeared to believe what she had said, and nothing more on the subject was brought up. The princess glanced towards Sirius' long hair, deciding she would change the pace of the conversation.  
  
"You know, Minako could probably take care of that..." She mentioned, Sirius knew she was directing the comment towards him.  
  
"Take care of what?"  
  
"You're hair, she's quite good with improving the outer appearance..."  
  
****  
  
"He actually got to the entrance, before James pulled him back..." Sirius was beside himself with laughter, while Lupin held a frown on his face, disapproving of how Sirius seemed to justify the joke he had played on Snape during their schooling days. The students were laughing as well, but Usagi's eyes widened when hearing how Sirius had plotted Snape's death.  
  
"Sirius, that's mean!" She scolded, no matter how much she disliked the Potions Master, the trick was still cruel. Sirius stopped laughing, but couldn't remove the grin off of his face.   
  
"He deserved it!" He defended himself with, but Usagi still had her eyes narrowed, "well, if you knew what he was like..."  
  
"I do know what he's like, and I don't like him either, but that still doesn't give someone a right to...er..." She trailed off, the same small pang of guilt that she had was beginning to grow, if only slightly, "it seems I am guilty of a crime as well."   
  
"What do you mean?" Sirius asked, the grin still plastered on his face. Usagi smiled sheepishly.  
  
"I kind of...er...slapped him..." She mumbled, but was evidently loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. Again a bout of laughter burst out, Ron especially looking happy. Usagi noticed, then rose her eyebrows trying to look innocent, "well...he deserved it!" After the repeating of the same words earlier used, Usagi gave a sweet smile towards Sirius, who returned it with enthusiasm. "I guess he really does make enemies easily..." Usagi commented.   
  
"Well, he did save my life once..." Harry cut in. The room suddenly went quiet, Usagi spun her attention to the boy with an expressionless face.  
  
"What?" Usagi nearly shouted, the pang of guilt ever-so growing stronger.   
  
"In my first year, when Professor Quirrel jinxed my broom during a Quidditch match, Snape counter-cursed to stop the broom from completely knocking me off". The memory of the Philosopher's Stone incident was suddenly refreshed in the memories of those who were involved.   
"That's true..." Hermione added, "he even refereed the next game to make sure it didn't happen again...we all thought he was the one trying to kill Harry in the first place." Hermione bit her lower lip, feeling guilty about how everyone had spent the last little while making fun of the professor. Now Usagi's guilt was full-fledged.  
  
"Oh..." She said, not being able to place words, "I obviously received the wrong first-impressions".   
  
"No you didn't..." Ron insisted, "he's still the same greasy git we all hate!" He exclaimed.  
  
"*Hate* is a very strong word", Usagi said softly. Again silence filled the room, until Lupin broke it.  
  
"That is true", he offered, sending Usagi a shy smile, "and Severus *did* make me the Wolfsbane, regardless of his dislike towards me as well."   
  
"Wolfsbane?" Usagi questioned, the subject suddenly being changed. "What's that?"  
  
"A potion, that helps me control myself while I am in my werewolf state...a rather recent discovery."  
  
"But you can't make it?" Usagi mentally reminded herself that she was lacking in that particular subject, and the question of whether to ask to be tutored in it arose again.  
  
"No, I do not have the access, nor the vast knowledge in that area, so I am still quite dangerous during the full moon".   
  
Noticing the time, Usagi motioned for the students to prepare to leave, everyone rising from their seated positions and putting their cloaks back on. Goodbye's were exchanged, as Usagi sent the students off before her, so she could have a moment alone with the adults. She turned briefly to Sirius and Lupin.  
  
"When's the next full moon?" She asked, Lupin was quiet in thought for a moment.  
  
"In three weeks, I believe". He answered, rising his eyebrows in question.   
  
"Well, if you think you can be here in three weeks, I'll have the Wolfsbane potion ready for you". Usagi insisted, a mischievous look crossing her features. Lupin and Sirius looked at each other for a moment, then both returned their attention to the princess and nodded their heads.  
  
"I would be ever so grateful, Madam Tsukino", Lupin said, bowing his head slightly towards the princess.  
  
"Usagi", she said.   
  
"Excuse me?" Lupin questioned, slightly confused.  
  
"The students have to call me Madam Tuskino...I've almost forgotten my name...call me Usagi." She insisted, Lupin nodded politely, while Sirius grinned.  
  
"See you in three weeks, *Usagi*", Sirius said, taking Usagi's hand and kissing it like he did when she first arrived, "I'm looking forward to seeing you again". He winked at her, causing her to blush slightly.   
  
After bidding her farewells, Usagi exited the Shrieking Shack, and met the awaiting students outside, she motioned for them to continue down the street, as it was nearly time to leave. They were about to go into The Three Broomsticks when certain Slytherin students moved into view. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were just exiting the pub, a sinister smirk appeared on Draco's face.  
  
"I've been looking for you", he commented towards Hotaru, who replied with a dark glare, but he ignored it and turned towards Usagi. "Madam Tsukino, I was wondering if I could escort your daughter around Hogsmeade, since it is her first time?"   
  
"Nice sucking up", Ron commented dryly, Crabbe took a menacing step towards the red-head when Draco rose an arm to stop him.  
  
"I'm not sucking up, Weasley, Tsukino should be with her own kind..." The smirk widened into a grin. Usagi also could pick out the notes of sucking up, but she smiled anyways and turned towards Hotaru.  
  
"I don't see why not, have a good time, Hotaru", she said, and walked into The Three Broomsticks. Hotaru's eyes widened as she had just been left to her most un-favorite person at Hogwarts. Hermione, Ron and Harry shot her sympathetic looks as they began to follow their Headmistress. Before they entered the pub, Ron turned to smirk at Draco.  
  
"We know something you don't know", he crooned in a sing-song voice, referring to learning of Hotaru's power source, but didn't give Draco the time to reply as the Gryffindor students disappeared from view.   
  
"Know what?" He demanded from Hotaru, who sighed in exasperation.   
  
****  
  
That evening, after everyone had returned from Hogsmeade, Usagi's mind seemed to be off in her own little world as the other senshi traded details of their first trip into the small magical village. After telling Minako she would soon have an opportunity to perform a make over, the princess directed her thoughts towards the task she would perform herself in only a few minutes.   
  
It was after the evening feast at the moment, and the senshi were gathered in Rei's room. After deciding what tactics she would be using, Usagi rose to her feet and headed to the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" Rei asked, the conversation ceasing at that particular moment.  
  
"I have an apology to make", Usagi mumbled softly, before exiting the room.  
  
She roughly knew which way the dungeons were, after numerous tours she had made during the day, meeting many of the students between classes. She was mixed with both fear and dread right at that moment, since the last time she had spoken with the Potions Master, it hadn't been a pleasant conversation. As soon as the princess felt the air grow several degrees cooler, she knew she was in the dungeons, but where exactly was the problem. She stopped walking and shivered, seeing her own breath cloud up in the air. Movement from paintings on the wall, directed her attention towards one moving character in particular.  
  
"Good evening milady!" The knight greeted, "You're beauty compares to nothing less than the moon itself this eve", he commented. Usagi laughed in delight, momentarily forgetting her troubles.  
  
"And what is your name, Knight?" She asked, the knight in the painting pulled his pony to a stop in a painting with green landscape.  
  
"I am Sir Cadogan, and I have come to court the lady that wanders so..." He droned, but Usagi had other issues to attend.  
  
"I can not stay this evening, Sir Cadogan, I was hoping you could tell me where I might find Professor Snape's office?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. The knight in the portrait seemed quite disappointed at hearing this, but he bowed gracefully and reared his pony into motion.  
  
"Follow me, milady!" He called out, Usagi had to keep up at a quick pace to not lose sight of Sir Cadogan. But as promised, he had led her to the room she wanted and bid her farewell as he raced off along more portraits, disturbing the other figures in the paintings along the way. Usagi faced the door and took a deep breath before knocking lightly. When she received no answer, she opened the door slowly to let herself in.   
  
Professor Snape moved around the various shelves in his office, looking for particular ingredients that were to be used in the lessons the next day. He immediately turned around sharply when he heard the knock at the door, and glared darkly at the one who entered.   
  
"What do you want?" He demanded, his voice very cool. Usagi stopped in her tracks for several moments before taking a deep breath and answering.  
  
"To apologize", she said simply. Snape rose an eyebrow at this, and moved towards his desk, standing behind it. Usagi again moved and stood on the opposite side of the desk, a calm expression on her face, "it seems I've made the wrong impressions about you".   
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Yes, I feel terrible about the other...er...that night". The princess could feel her cheeks heating up in embarrassment. Snape noticed, he sneered in response.   
  
"What changed your mind?" He asked. Usagi looked up at him, not being able to remove the look she had on her face.  
  
"Facts...that I didn't know about before". Snape nodded his head once, the sneer turning into a look of triumph.  
  
"Ah...in that case, I accept the apology." Relief flooded Usagi at hearing this, silence filled the air as she collected what bravery she had to make the next question.  
  
"Also...I need to ask a favor." Snape had moved to return to what he was doing before the Headmistress had entered, but faltered after hearing this. He turned on the spot.  
  
"Already? Don't you think you've asked for enough tonight?" Usagi felt like slapping Snape again, but she didn't move, and forced a smile.  
  
"It's just, I've been getting lessons from Professor Flitwick, although I do excel at most areas of magic, I'm an expert in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration is easy, and Divination comes natural, I am lacking in a few though...Charms being one, and Potions being the other..."  
  
"No." Was the immediate response, Snape approached Usagi by this point, giving her a stern look, but Usagi bit her lower lip to prevent herself from having an outburst of anger.  
  
"Please? I really should know how..."  
  
"That's pathetic." Snape cut in, he began to head towards the door before he was suddenly jerked back into the spot. Usagi had grabbed onto his arm, and had planted her feet firmly to the ground.   
  
"Do not make me beg", she said quietly, "I *am* your Headmistress after all", she tried her best to be intimidating, but Snape ignored her and tried to pull his arm from her iron grip. Usagi then tried using a pleading look on her face, which came rather natural, and brought her hands from Snape's arm to his hand. The Potions Master flinched at the contact, Usagi's skin being quite warm compared to the shockingly coolness of his own. "Please??" She tried again.   
  
They were interrupted when another figure entered at the door. Hotaru was holding a box of candy and fell quite silent when she saw her foster mother and the professor. She thought to herself that they had obviously made up.   
  
"I'll be with you in a minute", Usagi said, smiling toward her daughter, who nodded and vanished from the doorway. From being distracted, Snape managed to wrench his hand away from Usagi's grip, and gave her a cool glare.  
  
  
"Fine." He said, "but you will be here, every night, after the evening meal during the week." Usagi suddenly burst into smiles at hearing this.  
  
"Thank you!" She squealed in delight.  
  
"Be *prepared*", Snape added sharply, before returning to the shelves of ingredients. Usagi happily rushed out of the office, where Hotaru was waiting, she took her foster daughter's arm and hurried them out of the dungeons to the warmer areas. As soon as they were close to the Slytherin Common Room, Usagi finally slowed down and took a glance at Hotaru, and when realizing that the box of candy was Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, she confiscated them eagerly from her foster daughter.   
  
"Hey!" Hotaru complained, still angry as well for being abandoned, but a smile crossed her features when Usagi's face screwed up after eating a bean that was flavored to taste like brussel sprouts, the princess immediately selected another bean, she relaxed after tasting strawberries.   
  
"So, did Draco buy you these?" Usagi questioned, a playful smirk on her lips.   
  
"Yes", Hotaru spat out, not looking at her mother.   
  
"Did you tell him what I had told everyone about your powers?"   
  
"Only a little, he wouldn't stop bothering me", Hotaru whined, "so now he says he'll pay more attention in Rei's class". Usagi laughed at hearing this, Rei seemed to be doing well in her teaching position, the students tended to enjoy the hands-on activities more than book work. "So you don't hate Professor Snape anymore?" Hotaru suddenly changed the subject, finally looking at her mother.  
  
"I never hated him, I just...don't like him very much, and I only apologized so he'd agree to tutor me...that way I can make the Wolfsbane potion for Remus".   
  
"But you didn't tell Professor Snape that?"  
  
"Of course not! I would've asked to be tutored at the beginning of the year, but he and I didn't get along, but now I have motivation to put up with his mean comments." Usagi stuffed another bean in her mouth. "Mm...chocolate".  
  
"By the way, Harry wants to know if you marry Sirius, could he move in with us..." Usagi began laughing gaily at hearing this.  
  
"He did?" Hotaru nodded, her expression remaining the same as it always was, but the princess was full of laughter, "why would he want to move in with us?"  
  
"He hates the Dursleys...the people he lives with".  
  
  
"Oh. Then I understand why he feels that way...I'll have a talk with him." Usagi then headed towards the Gryffindor Common Room, and spoke the password, the portrait of the Fat Lady opened allowing her in. Just as she suspected, Harry, Ron and Hermione were still up, quietly talking by the fire. They immediately looked up when they heard the princess enter.  
  
"Madam Tsukino!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
"Hotaru told me about your question..." After Ron and Hermione heard this, they picked this particular time to head up to their own rooms. Usagi sat next to Harry and gave him a soft smile.   
  
"Wouldn't you be my godmother? If you married Sirius?" Harry asked, already knowing that Usagi knew about what he had asked Hotaru.  
  
"Only your parents could name who your guardians would be, and since I wasn't married to Sirius back then, that means legally I wouldn't be able to gain custody of you". Usagi felt a rush of pride at seeming so much wiser than the students, but she also felt a rush of pity as well when a sad expression crossed Harry's face.  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"That doesn't mean you couldn't stay with me, though..." Suddenly the sad expression changed just as quickly as it had appeared.   
  
"Really?" Usagi nodded.  
  
"Now, you better get to bed, it's getting really late." Harry nodded and rushed up to his own room. Usagi, all smiles, headed back to her own room, eagerly awaiting for the next day to arrive.  
  
****  
AN: Big thanks to my imouto, Megami*Silence for helping me clear my writers block, I'll have the next chapter out fast (faster if I get reviews...~cough~ no pressure...)!   
  
Voting poles now open:  
  
Usagi/? Who will the Headmistress fall for, if she falls in love at all?  
  
Who will Oliver Wood pick for either position? And will he be paired with anyone? 


	4. And So It Begins

****Disclaimer: ~runs for Megami*Silence~ Get me a friggin' box! Er...I don't own anything anymore...  
  
****Author's Note: Arigatou minna-chan! You are all so sweet!! I'm so happy ~sobs~ I didn't think anyone would like it...~sniffsniff~  
  
Oi! Well, looks like the war's on between votes for either Sirius or Snape...  
  
Blue Frost: Ami and Remus! Girl, you just read my mind ^-^ But you don't think Snape and Usa would work? Eh? Do I smell a challenge? Uh oh...and it's all driving me nuts about the secret thing too...hehehehe  
  
sapphirekisses: yes, Draco is annoying...but annoying people can worm their way into people's hearts though...^-^ and Hotaru *does* live with our fav little clutz, Usagi, ne?  
  
Silver Moon Goddess: I'm still deciding as well...but perhaps she'll get to know all of them a little better, ne?  
  
Heerosgurl: Oliver and Minako...hmmm...I suppose that would work ^-^ you're right, she needs to catch a break  
  
Firefly-chan: hmm...too cruel...he can be, ne? Pissed me off something awful with that "no difference" comment he made to Hermione in GoF...*but* I do think people tend to look down on him too much...and Sirius/Usa fics are a little over done...hmmm...decisions...  
  
Wingnut: Athena doesn't like dogs??? Aww....I love my big black dog...hehehe, and I used to be quite a Mamo/Usa supporter once upon a time...  
  
Wingwriter1: aww...arigatou!  
  
Starfury3000: arigatou for liking...but I still think Sirius and Usa are overdone...but I'm still not sure yet  
  
Lanc: hey! You're cool!  
  
Arigatou! To all the reviewers that I did not include...but I think I have come to a decision, (even though it'll probably piss a lot of people off ~smiles sheepishly~) although I'll still have our Usa experiment a little, so nothing is final yet.   
  
  
****  
  
That morning at breakfast, Hotaru did sit with her fellow Slytherins, despite what she usually did, sit with the Gryffindors. She didn't mind it so much now, since Draco had not bombarded her with questions that morning, since she had given him the information that had been passed out to Harry, Ron and Hermione. Draco had also bought her several confections, her mother had taken the box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, but there was more where that came from. It was like Draco was trying to buy her off, but Hotaru didn't mind, especially since her self-proclaimed rival avoided her now. The violet-eyed girl glanced towards Pansy Parkinson, who had a sulky look on her face.   
  
"Hey Hotaru", Draco began, noticing that she had a gaze locked on the Gryffindor table, but he successfully gained her attention.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Wanna watch our Quidditch practice today?" He asked, Hotaru studied the blond Slytherin for a few moments before nodding quietly. Just then mumbles of disapproval rose up as Harry made his way over to their table, he ignored everyone except Hotaru.  
  
"Would you like to sit with us? I noticed you didn't seem to like where you are sitting". Draco stood up and pushed Harry back a bit.  
  
"You're trying to steal her away from me, aren't you Potter? Well, I won't let you have her". Hotaru felt her cheeks flush, and stood herself, separating both boys from each other.  
  
"It's alright, I'm fine Harry, but thanks". Draco smirked in triumph, but Hotaru shot him another classic deadly glare, "I'm nobody's girl, I'll decide when I belong to someone". The smirk disappeared, and Harry allowed himself to smile towards Hotaru before returning to his own seat. Draco and Hotaru sat back down, the blond Slytherin continued to glance at the violet-eyed girl repeatedly during the rest of the meal, as though he were considering several things.  
  
****  
  
As the day went on, it gave Usagi plenty of time to worry herself half to death about her evening lesson. Even during her lesson with Professor Flitwick, Usagi tended to lose concentration and blow up several objects by mistake. She had made sure to apologize several times, but the dwarf professor always laughed it off.   
  
Things between Hotaru and Draco seemed to be a little different since her foster daughter began opening up, if only just a little, to the blond Slytherin. It seemed the violet-eyed girl didn't mind sitting with her own house during the meals of the day, and did take the time to talk to Draco, as Usagi had noticed while trying not to glance elsewhere.   
  
Harry had warmed up considerably to Usagi, very happy to have had her invitation to stay with her over the summer holidays, although she wasn't sure what kind of life she would be going back to, once her duties as Headmistress was to finish.   
  
Dumbledore had sent a letter via owl post, just to check up on things. He had mentioned The Order of the Phoenix had re-established itself and things were quiet as far as Voldemort was concerned for the time being.   
  
Usagi also replayed the previous day over in her head, remembering her new acquaintances, and how she was looking forward to seeing the both of them again. Little did Snape know, that he would be assisting Lupin again, only through the princess this time.   
  
She had spent some time down in the kitchens, Dobby had many things to talk about during her visit and had even introduced his fellow employee, Winky to her, who had told her own tragic story to the princess. After her visit, Hermione had approached her, and Usagi readily agreed to join S.P.E.W., she even sported one of the badges on her robes. The other senshi also joined, although it took quite a bit of persuasion on Usagi's part.  
  
After the evening meal, Usagi went back to the Slytherin Common room to collect Hotaru's potions supplies, including the pewter cauldron, so she would *be prepared* as Snape had put it.   
  
While walking down to the dungeons, she was once again met with Sir Cadogan, who recited a few sonnets that caused the princess' cheeks to heat. He was definitely a charmer. 'Too bad he's only a picture', she had thought amusingly to herself, 'Makoto would just adore him'.   
  
Once again Snape was in his office, busy as usual, and did not look up when the princess entered the room. She quietly sat herself on one side of the desk and set the supplies down, folding her hands in her lap as she waited for the Potions Master to begin the lesson. Snape seated himself across from her, and looked at her as though she were a student making trouble.  
  
"Not saying anything? That's unusual for you..." He commented dryly, but Usagi only made a face at him instead of verbally retaliating. He then noticed the S.P.E.W. badge on her robes and smirked. Usagi noticed, but again chose not to make a comment, she wished to avoid arguments, since they always involved her getting furious. Snape stood up and pushed some dry ingredients in front of Usagi, she felt her face drain of color. 'Oh no', she thought to herself, 'I'm still a terrible cook...' After unsuccessful lessons from Makoto, Usagi was still a hazard in the kitchen.  
  
"Be warned, I might blow something up", she said, quite a serious look crossed her features. Snape smirked again in amusement at hearing this, he rose an eyebrow.  
  
"Indeed? I'm not surprised...do you know what this is?" He asked, motioning towards dark-tinged leaves. Usagi bit her lower lip and made a stab of a guess.  
  
"Looks like some kind of herb..."  
  
"You should know...it is Japanese, it's called Fume, and was recently discovered for properties that can take a person's voice away for a short period of time". Snape sneered when Usagi made another face.  
  
"How am I not surprised you'd pick something like this...and I suppose it's going to be tested on me too, right?" She didn't have to wait for his answer, and he knew it too, which is why the sneer amplified itself.   
  
"If you don't make it right, the solution will have no effect on you, so if you're still blabbering after you drink it, we'll both know you failed to do it right." This was a challenge...and Usagi knew it. She would try, even though it meant losing her voice for a while, but she was determined to learn how to properly brew a potion anyways.  
  
"Alright, where do we start?" Standing up herself, she removed her robes and set them on the chair, shivering after a shock of cold air touched her bare skin from the little fabric that was on the top portion of her gown. Snape rose an eyebrow at her, she noticed, "what?" She asked, but received no answer. Usagi sighed.  
  
****  
  
After a half an hour, the potion was finally ready to be tested. The evil goblet sat before her, just waiting to have its contents consumed. Usagi eyed it as though it were pure poison. Snape had his arms crossed over his chest and waited impatiently for the princess to get the courage to try her own potion.  
  
"What are you waiting for?" He asked, "if it wasn't done right, you have nothing to worry about", he added silkily. Usagi gave him a quick glare.  
  
"I know..." She stated quietly, then reached for the goblet of hot liquid, and closed her eyes tightly as she gulped it down. She shuddered as the taste was absolutely horrible, not unlike her own cooking, and set the empty goblet down. She stood still for a few moments to let the burning sensation cool from her throat. "Can you hear anything?" She asked, but realized that no noise came from her mouth, Snape had a look of disappointment quickly cross his face, but then smirked.  
  
"It seems you did it right after all..." He commented, walking around the desk to stand near the princess, he was enjoying himself a lot right at that moment. Usagi moved her mouth to make nasty comments, but again, nothing came out. She brought her hand to her throat, and bit her lower lip to stop herself from bursting into tears.   
  
Suddenly, the sad expression turned into that of joy when she realized that she had succeeded. She looked up at Snape and smiled triumphantly. He donned a sour look on his face when she did this. "It'll last for twenty-four hours, I would suggest deciding on what methods you will use for communication, since you now cannot annoy anyone with your useless jabbering." Usagi didn't take this as an insult, she just smirked and collected Hotaru's supplies, and waved as she left the room.  
  
****  
  
Usagi had no problem what-so-ever communicating the next day, instead, she used body language to speak, and wrote messages on pieces of parchment to answer questions, keeping the explanation of why she had the voice-loss on her at all times.   
  
After breakfast, Usagi decided to go to the library, to study up for her lessons considering she knew absolutely nothing about potions. Ami was in there, reading quietly as usual, Luna and Artemis were there sitting on her desk, they too spent their days with Hogwart's new librarian.   
  
Ami looked up when the princess entered.  
  
"Good morning", she greeted, Usagi quickly showed her the parchment with her voice-loss explanation written on it, Ami nodded. Usagi took the quill sitting on Ami's desk and quickly scribbled what she wanted to say on some spare parchment.  
  
'I need whatever potions books you can find', it said. Ami stood and went over to various shelves, taking books from them. Usagi shook her head not being able to believe that Ami had read nearly all of the books inside of the library. 'She's like Hermione', Usagi thought amused to herself.   
  
"These are the basic books", Ami informed, setting a couple of texts in front of Usagi, "if you read through them", Ami rose an eyebrow indicating her doubt, "then you should know enough to follow along easily in your lessons." Usagi picked up the books, smiled towards Ami and found herself a seat at one of the tables. Various students that were in there looked curiously her way, but Usagi had to give all of her attention to reading, if she would learn anything.  
  
She spent nearly two hours in the library, before she had to leave for her Charms lesson with Professor Flitwick. She signed the books out and waved goodbye to Ami as she hurried to the classroom where she had her lesson. She showed the parchment to the Charms teacher, who gave a small chuckle.  
  
"I suppose we'll have to cancel today's lesson", he said, Usagi sighed and nodded her head. She waved and went on her way.  
  
****  
  
That afternoon Usagi decided she would be near Hotaru, just for once, during the Care of Magical Creatures class that the Slytherins had with the Gryffindors. Harry, Ron and Hermione were overly thrilled to have the Headmistress stay for their lesson. Hotaru stood near Usagi as well, although not on purpose. It seemed Harry had developed a crush on the violet-eyed girl as well, and was now competing more than ever with his rival for the affections of the senshi of Saturn. Hotaru was beside herself with the decision, she had never had a boyfriend before, and didn't know whether she necessarily wanted one.  
  
Today's lesson involved learning how to create ink from the Drake bird's feathers, Hotaru had made a jar full of dark violet ink, while she made a bottle of soft pink for Usagi, who loved it.   
  
Half-way through the class Usagi's attention had drifted off, her eyes wandered around, but when a shadow moving quickly through the forest caught her attention, she headed towards the pathway that led inside the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid noticed and called for her to stop, but something was drawing her to keep going.  
  
  
Just before entering, Usagi turned and motioned for everyone to follow. Excited chatter quietly arose as the students followed close behind the Headmistress, while a nervous Hagrid followed in the rear. It wasn't long before they reached a clearing and the princess stopped walking. The students eyed her in question, the Gryffindors gathering closely together, as well as the Slytherins doing the same. Usagi looked towards Hotaru and smiled, then began waving her arms in the air and mouthing the word 'sing'. Hotaru understood, and began humming the tune that was most familiar to her, the star locket tune.  
  
"What are you doing?" Draco asked, appalled at the thought of singing, Hotaru smiled and stopped humming to explain.  
  
"Mother is summoning unicorns..." Recognition crossed Hagrid's face at hearing this.  
  
"Unicorns are 'tracted tah pure 'earts..." Then he himself began humming a song, which was rather loud, and rather annoying, but soon other students joined in and the forest was buzzing with a mixture of odd music.   
  
Usagi glanced towards one side of a wall of trees, and within moments she saw a flash of white in the form of a shadow that she had seen before. Many students gasped as a grand white unicorn emerged in the clearing, it's ivory horn glowing brightly from the sun. It cautiously approached Usagi, and lay its massive horn upon her shoulder.  
  
'Greetings, your Highness', it spoke, but not aloud, through whispers in Usagi's mind, 'speak with your heart, not with your voice', it continued when Usagi forgot her predicament and tried to force out a greeting of her own.   
  
'You know who I am?' She sent back through thought, the unicorn gave a little nicker.   
  
'All of the creatures of the forest know who you are, Serenity, Princess of the Moon'. The unicorn backed away, and whinnied, this caused more unicorns to emerge from the forest walls, and slowly approach other students, one even having to hold its head high to touch Hagrid with its horn. Then the leader returned its horn to Usagi's shoulder. 'We can speak to only those with a pure heart...'  
  
'Why did you want to speak to me?' Usagi asked, still wondering why the unicorn had led her into the forest.  
  
'We wished to meet you...your power is very strong, so I could sense you'.  
  
'But how could you?'  
  
'I am a decedent from a nearly extinct breed, I am a Moon Unicorn, not unlike Helios, the Pegasus of dreams'. The unicorn lifted its head slightly to ruffle its white bangs, Usagi brushed the bangs back to see a mark in the shape of a crescent moon on it's forehead, though the angle was that of when the moon was in the sky. 'I myself am only over a few hundred years old, but my grandparents were in your service when the Kingdom still ruled all'.  
  
'I do not remember all the details of my past'.   
  
'You shall, now that you are in the magical world, soon you shall know a lifetime's worth of memories, as you learned new things at the ice catacombs.' Usagi backed away at hearing this for a moment, then remembered awaking in the ice imprisonment, and what she had learned then. Usagi brushed the unicorn's flank and smiled.  
  
'I will...I understand, do you know why I'm here?' Again the unicorn gave a nicker in response.  
  
'Yes, to protect Harry Potter...and you will, Voldemort now knows you're here...' At this, Usagi completely backed off, she glanced around her to make sure no one was paying attention, the students were giggling and petting the other unicorns. Taking a calming breath, Usagi allowed the moon unicorn to place its horn back on her shoulder.  
  
'How did he find out?' Usagi asked.  
  
'Through one of his Death Eaters...the father of a student...Malfoy'. Usagi felt herself grow cold, she looked towards the Slytherin boy who was busy trying to talk to Hotaru.  
  
'His son...'  
  
'Yes, his son does not know what trouble he has begun, you will be faced soon with what you have come to Hogwarts to accomplish, but do not let anyone know what I have told you, as it may cause you more trouble than help.' Usagi nodded, she understood, and knew what the unicorn had said was true.   
  
'I understand', was her reply.  
  
'Then I shall leave you now, good luck, Majesty'. The unicorn backed away and gave a bow before neighing and leaping back through the trees. The other unicorns followed suit and left the students. Some began whining in disappointment, but Hagrid was more than happy.  
  
"Thank ye fer tha'!" He thanked Usagi, as the group made their way out of the forest, "quite a treat!"  
  
She replied with a nod, smiling cheerfully as Harry bounded up to her and began telling her of how he was able to talk to a unicorn, excited that all the forest creatures thought highly of him.  
  
"It said that I was lucky to have you watch over me", Usagi patted Harry on the back, and grinned.  
  
****  
  
That night Usagi had to hurry to make it to her lesson on time, she had taken a longer time at dinner, considering she had all the strawberry cheesecake she could eat. She had her supplies in hand, plus the extra potions books that she had taken out from the library with her as well. Finally reaching Snape's office, she let herself in, he was busy as usual, but took the time to look up at her and smirk.  
  
"Not saying much tonight?" He commented, Usagi made a face, which she had tended to use a lot lately, Snape motioned for her to set up her supplies, she did so. "We're going to be making a simple shrinking solution, something quite basic..." Usagi took one of the books she had in her arms and opened up to a page with various shrinking solutions listed on it, she showed Snape what she had found, he took on a sour look on his face. Snape announced which one she would be learning, and Usagi quickly got to work.  
  
A little under an hour later, the potion had been successfully tested, Usagi put down the dropper she had used and looked up at Snape.  
  
"So? How did I do?" She asked, grabbing her throat when she realized that she indeed had her voice back. "It wore off!" She squealed in delight, Snape crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
"Too bad".  
  
****  
  
Three weeks had passed quickly, it had approached the day of the first full moon, and Usagi had gathered all the needed ingredients for the Wolfsbane potion in her room. She had taken each ingredient one-by-one out of Snape's supplies during each lesson, careful not to have been noticed.   
  
Usagi decided to skip dinner and take a small supply of food from the kitchens with her, making excuses and leaving when no one was watching out the front entrance where the Womping Willow lie. She was careful not to get too close to the tree, as to not be bashed by its vengeful branches. She rose a hand and concentrated, her crescent mark began glowing brightly as the tree ceased to move.   
  
"Tsukino Usagi!" She heard quite loudly, suddenly making her stop in her tracks. The princess cautiously glanced around, and sighed when she noticed it was only Luna.  
  
"What? I'm in a hurry!" Usagi whined.  
  
"Where are you going?" Her guardian cat was sure to not have her charge leave off without protection.  
  
"To help a friend", she said, giving Luna a dirty look.  
  
"Well, I'm going with you", they were interrupted by the sound of a deeper meow not far off. An orange burly cat was approaching them, hissing towards Luna a few times.  
  
"That's Hermione's cat", Usagi mentioned, petting Crookshanks when she began purring and rubbing against Usagi's robes. "Well? Are you coming?" She shot at Luna, and prodded the knot at the base of the Womping Willow to open the door to the tunnel that lead to the Shrieking Shack. Luna followed a distance behind Crookshanks before the door automatically shut tightly behind them.  
  
Soon they reached the doorway to the house, and Usagi let herself in by throwing herself into the door in order to open it. Lupin was inside, staying close to the fire, his skin very pale, he looked happy at the sight of Usagi, though.  
  
"Greetings Usagi", he said, "did you bring the potion?"  
  
"I brought the ingredients, I can brew it here...where's Sirius?" She asked, not seeing the ex-con anywhere. As soon as she asked, a large black dog made its way into the room, and sniffed Usagi's robes. Luna meowed quite loudly, and backed up when the dog proceeded to growl at her. Then the dog backed up itself and transformed back into a man, Usagi yelped in surprise at this.  
  
"Hey!" Sirius greeted, grinning wolfishly, "who's the cat?" He asked, motioning towards Luna.  
  
"Oh, this is Luna, she's my cat", she turned towards Luna, "you can talk here, it's alright". Luna waited a few moments, but cleared her throat and caused Sirius' grin to widen when she spoke.  
  
"You would take care to watch your conduct around me", she snapped.  
  
"Woah...you sound like McGonnagall..." Sirius commented, laughing at his own comment.   
  
"Well, I better get started", Usagi said, noticing Lupin's worsening condition. She pulled out all of the ingredients, plus Hotaru's cauldron, beginning to mix everything together. Sirius and Lupin watched her silently as she did this, not wanting to disturb her. Once everything was mixed, she placed the cauldron on a hook above the fire to let it brew, "it won't take long", she said, glancing worriedly towards Lupin. He smiled weakly at her.   
  
Within a few minutes, Usagi had removed her robes, and used them to take the cauldron from the fireplace, and pour some of it's contents into a goblet. She picked it up and blew some of the steam, placing the goblet into Lupin's trembling hands.   
  
"It'll be dark soon", Sirius commented, "you better leave before Remus transforms". They watched as Lupin finally drank down all of the potion, color began returning to his face.   
  
"Nonsense", Usagi said, "I can stay the night".   
  
"No, you can't, you're not an animagus, it's not safe for you..." Usagi's eyes began sparkling mischievously.  
  
"I'll be fine". And as if to prove her point, she closed her eyes, the crescent mark began glowing brightly on her forehead. Sirius backed up and looked towards Luna.  
  
"What's happening?" He half-shouted.  
  
"She's transforming to her Lunarian state", Luna said quietly, waiting for the process to finish.  
  
"Her what?"  
  
Usagi's back rippled strangely, soon the purpose of having a backless gown became clear as wings sprouted from her shoulder-blades and spread out wide, the length of the ivory wings ran the same length as her body. Folding the wings, the crescent mark ceased to glow and Usagi opened her eyes, grinning as she did so.  
  
"See?" Usagi said happily.  
  
"You're an animagus?" Sirius asked, unbelieving.  
  
"Sort of", she shot Luna a look to keep her guardian cat from telling more than she should. Everyone's attention then turned to Lupin, as he was taking his werewolf state. Sirius hurriedly transformed back into the black dog, and used his teeth to tug on Usagi's dress, causing her to back up.  
  
Werewolf-Lupin growled, at first, but soon calmed and wagged his tail when he faced Usagi, she let out a sigh of relief, and patted him on the head. She then headed to the bag of food she had brought, both canines woofed happily at this, and everyone in the room shared what food was there. Usagi had also brought a block of wizard's chocolate, she showed it to Sirius, who was now Padfoot.  
  
"This is for the morning, no doubt Remus will probably need some". She smiled when Padfoot woofed in response. The princess made herself comfortable by seating herself on the bed, Werewolf-Lupin rested his head on Usagi's lap, while Padfoot lay at the foot of the bed. Usagi stroked Lupin's fur soothingly, while he drifted off to sleep. Luna and Crookshanks curled up by the fire, though careful to keep a distance from each other.  
  
Usagi ruffled her wings a bit, and took a deep, calming breath. She closed her eyes, and thought about how she had the wings appear every full moon. It was a nuisance, and she had had the problem for a few years now. Paying them no more attention, Usagi soon drifted off to a dreamless slumber herself, trying not to trouble herself with thoughts of the previous weeks.  
  
****  
  
The next morning came all too soon for the princess, as light began to filter into the room from the doorway. She first noticed the absence of her wings, then noticed that she had no feeling in her left leg. Glancing down, she realized that where a werewolf once was, Remus Lupin had his head on her lap, and was still sleeping. Usagi allowed herself a giggle at the sight.   
  
"Good morning", a voice greeted, as Sirius walked into the room, a couple of goblets in hand. "I melted the chocolate into liquid", he mentioned, handing one of the goblets to Usagi, who took it appreciatively. As soon as she took a sip, a warm feeling shot through her body, she began giggling again.   
  
Lupin stirred a short time later, feeling quite embarrassed that he had awaken with his head on Usagi's lap, but she didn't mind at all, she was quite thrilled that she had helped. Sirius had given his friend the other goblet of melted wizard's chocolate and Lupin had taken it quite readily.   
  
Usagi got off the bed, and pulled her robes back over her gown, which was now quite wrinkled.  
  
"So I will see you both again tonight?" She asked, before opening the door.  
  
"It isn't necessary..." Lupin began, but Usagi interrupted him.  
  
"I want to help, and I enjoy visiting, so I won't take no for an answer", she smiled gaily as both Sirius and Lupin nodded their heads. She then gathered her supplies and headed back through the tunnel, Luna and Crookshanks following closely behind.  
  
****  
  
It went the same every night during that week. Usagi would rush from the castle to be at the Shrieking Shack before nightfall every eve, and stay the night. Upon the last night she had been late, though...  
  
~Flashback~  
  
Usagi tore through Hogwarts, nightfall had already begun, and she had not made it to the Shrieking Shack yet. She had been kept late with a more difficult potions lesson that had required more time, she could've sworn that Snape had done that on purpose, but why, she'd never know.   
  
Nearing outside, she would've made it out quietly, but Peeves the Poltergeist decided to pick on her that evening.  
  
"Ooo...where is the Headmistress going?" He called out to no one in particular.  
  
"Shut up Peeves!" Usagi hissed. Finally she reached outside, and felt her back begin to tingle. Stopping in her tracks, she quickly removed her robes, shivering a little from the cold night air. Her crescent mark glowed brightly, and the wings only took a few moments to exit, stretching out.   
  
After the transformation, Usagi picked up her robes and continued on her way, listening to Peeves call out in a sing song voice.  
  
"Ooo...Beautiful angel in the halls!" Continuously, eventually his voice fading.  
  
She was just about to enter the doorway, when the hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood, she turned her head sideways, to see if she could see anyone watching her, but didn't see anything, so she continued on her way.  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
The last morning that she had with Lupin and Sirius, she had invited the both of them to come watch the first Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, although both would have to be kept hidden from prying eyes, Usagi decided that they could come up to her office after the game and she would invite up her senshi as well as Harry, Ron and Hermione to visit. No one would know...  
  
Reaching the dungeons, Usagi felt herself in a happy mood at what she had accomplished lately, especially happy that she had helped a friend successfully, but her mood was suddenly changed as she received a cold glare coming from her Tutor.  
  
"What?" She asked, trying to hide the worry in her voice.  
  
"So you've been secretly seeing the Werewolf, hmm?" Snape didn't waste time getting to the point, his voice was just as icy and dangerously low. He was obviously angry. Usagi, however, decided to attempt at playing innocent.  
  
"What are you talking about?" She asked, her voice squeaked, however.   
  
"You also stole supplies from me as well..."  
  
~Flashback~  
  
Snape was busy on his late night prowl to catch unsuspecting students as usual, when a familiar and annoying voice caught his attention.  
  
"Oooo...beautiful..." Peeves called out, bouncing along the hallway. Snape glared at him, but the poltergeist didn't seem to care, "beware, Professor, she might bewitch you!" He sang out.  
  
"What are you babbling about?" Snape shouted.  
  
"Headmistress is going to make herself a ghost, so she can be with meeeeeee......she's with the Womping Willowwwwww..." Peeves chose that time to make his exit, causing Snape to grow highly suspicious. He rushed through the hallway leading to the front of the castle where the Womping Willow was. He had made it just in time to catch a glimpse of long tresses of silver-gold hair blowing in the soft breeze, and huge angel wings spread out, as the Headmistress prodded the knot at the base of the Womping Willow.   
  
Snape watched without blinking, he moved closer, but hid in the shadows as to not attract her attention, but failed as she turned her head to look. Fortunately for him, however she continued on her way. He had been holding his breath the whole time, but as soon as she left his sight, he allowed himself to breathe again. It was hard to believe that such a creature could be the most annoying brat in all of Hogwarts.  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
Usagi was getting quite frightened at this point, she seemed to be easily intimidated by the Potions Master, despite her higher ranking over him. His harsh words continued to cut her deeper.   
  
"...I should've known, you plead for me to teach you how to brew potions, and yet you end up making every one perfectly...without error...that alone should've told me you only used me to get the ingredients..."  
  
"I did them all perfectly?!?" Usagi interrupted, not believing her ears. She had actually completed each lesson without one mistake...she was good at something? At hearing this Usagi began to laugh happily, she forgot her fear at that moment and approached Snape, who had a look of disbelief on his face as well.  
  
"You mean to tell me that you had absolutely no knowledge of potion making..." Usagi nodded, and continued to laugh, "...then why did you steal supplies from me?" Usagi forced herself to cease her bout of laughter and took a few deep breaths before speaking.  
  
"Just to help...that's all...I didn't mean to upset anyone." Snape didn't approve of this answer, and prodded for more.  
  
"Why would you want to *just help*?" He growled.  
  
"Because I've always been like that...and besides, what were you doing spying on me?" She suddenly changed the subject, placing her hands on her hips. Snape bristled at this and sneered.  
  
"I was not *spying*, I had been on the night watch for disobedient students when that pathetic excuse of a Poltergeist decided to annoy me, babbling about you". Usagi nodded her head in understanding.  
  
"Oh...well I'm sorry I had to secretly take..."  
  
"You mean, *steal*..."  
  
"Whatever...but there's no way you would've let me take it if I had asked".  
  
"Shouldn't you have thought of why I would say no?" Snape again decided to begin glaring at the Headmistress, who shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"I did, and it's not fair." Again Snape caught himself wondering how a brat of a child existed within the body of a full-grown woman.   
  
"Well, I want what you took replaced...I suggest you think about how you're going to do that." Snape un-rooted himself from that spot for the first time since Usagi had entered, and moved around his desk, to pick up a piece of parchment with a list of missing ingredients on it. He began to recite what was written, but Usagi snatched the parchment from him and pocketed it in her robes.  
  
"I already know what needs replacing, and I assure you I have full intentions of replacing everything...so can we begin the lesson now?" Snape took several moments to answer, as he was angry, but at the same time, believed for no particular reason at all, every word that she had said.   
  
"Fine", he barked, hating how he couldn't say no to this woman.  
  
****  
  
The Weasley twins managed to book the Quidditch Pitch for practice more than any other team during the weeks before the season was to begin. Minako had been the decided Keeper for their team, as well as she was currently seeing Oliver Wood on the side.   
  
That particular Saturday, the Hufflepuff team were invited to scrimmage with the Gryffindor team. Wood had often shown up during practices, he himself was going to be trying out for the national team, and helped out with the teams at Hogwarts, just to take his mind off of his own worries.  
  
Ron, Hermione, Hotaru and Neville waited on the ground and watched silently. Everyone took their positions in the air as Wood threw the Quaffle up, into play. Further above the action, Makoto and Harry remained dormant, trying to catch a glimpse of the golden snitch, they didn't consider each other rivals, however, during practices. Makoto gave Harry a sudden smile.  
  
"Hey, Harry, Madam Tsukino told me that we're going to be able to meet your Godfather, she's told me a lot about him, you must feel lucky". Harry delayed his answer, trying to decide whether he did consider himself lucky, considering he didn't have his parents.  
  
"I don't know..." He mumbled. Makoto rose an eyebrow.  
  
"How don't you know? I wish I had had a guardian to confide in when I needed it, but I live alone, and have for a while...it gets lonely". Harry looked up and studied Makoto's face for the first time, he returned her smile.  
  
"I'm sorry".   
  
  
"Oh, I don't feel bad about it of course, it helps to have friends that stick by you no matter what". Makoto was referring to herself and the other senshi, but Harry immediately thought of Ron and Hermione when she made the comment.  
  
"I know..." He answered with. Suddenly their thoughts were interrupted when a glint of gold raced into view, instinctively both seekers dove for the snitch. Makoto had caught it not too much later, ending the game. Everyone returned to the ground, out of breath, and enjoying themselves.   
  
"Nice move there, Kino", Wood commented, joining everyone, he then patted Harry on the back. "Better watch yourself there Potter, you've got a new rival". This comment didn't bother Harry, though, he only smiled towards Makoto, who put an arm around his shoulders.  
  
"You're pretty good", she commented.   
  
"You're both good!" Ron cut in as he slapped his best friend on the shoulder, with a big grin on his face. He then looked up at Makoto, his grin widening. "Hey! You two have the same eyes", he said. Makoto and Harry both became puzzled, but then looked at each other and both took notice that they each possessed emerald green eyes.  
  
"Woah, Ron you're right!" Harry exclaimed, smiling.  
  
"That's bloody cool...both seekers!" Ron added, the group then decided to head inside, their practice done and their stomachs growling.  
  
****  
  
AN: Gomen, gomen, gomen! I am soooo sorry that I didn't get this out sooner, like I promised, but I've got a busy, busy life!! Work is keeping me up long hours, and is making me sooo tired...~sigh~ never to sleep in again ~sobs~  
  
Big arigatou to Megami*Silence (the unicorn thing was her idea), and I will *try* to get the next chapter out soon...I already have it planned out...and I can already tell you, if you are die-hard shippers, you're gonna bloody hate me ^-^  
  
I know this chapter sucks, but I wanted to get it out before any of you killed me...hehehehe...and by the way, I still was not expecting reviews like I received, arigatou so much!! Romance starting in the next chapter, promise!! 


	5. Sparks Ignite

****Disclaimer: I finally got a new box but I had to use it to start a fire ~sobs~ oh yeah...don't own 'em  
  
****Author's Note: VOTING POLLS OFFICIALLY CLOSED!  
  
WARNING!! Die-hard shippers you're going to hate me ~sobs~ This fic is actually going to be taking a darker tone once the secrets that Usagi learned in the ice catacombs are revealed, so everything has its purpose...  
  
  
The Sovereign of Selenity: hai, slow, but work has kept me busy...bad excuse I know ~smiles sheepishly~ and you're right about Draco and Hotaru...trust...my imouto was the one to decide that coupling from the start...hehehe...but I had to play around...and you'd oppose??!? ~sniff~ ok, I understand  
  
Sailor Millenia: Mako's not related, it's just a crazy coincidence ^-^  
  
Silver Moon Goddess: So very Usa-like to cuddle, ne?   
  
Blue Frost: grrrrrr.??? Oo...I dunno how to take that ~-~...hehehehe, and Minako does have a suffocating personality....you're sooo right!! I can tell you're a Draco fan...hehehe, me too! And I like Sirius...with Usa...but I don't think it'll fit with what I've got planned (fic is going to get darker...)  
  
Timbo Gurl: ahhhhhhh............you're sooooooo sweet!!!!!!! I wuve you! Uh...no..but seriously, I totally agree with everything you say!! You're so right! You didn't bore me, I've never received such an insightful review...awww...arigatou!! And you nailed everything right on the dot when you mentioned how each different pairing would work...hell, challenge? You bet, and I love it!  
  
  
****  
  
Minako walked down the hallway towards the room where the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team waited, arm in arm with her new love interest, Oliver Wood. She was dressed in the regal scarlet and gold Quidditch robes, noisily chatting with the young man next to her.   
  
"So you made it?" Minako asked eagerly, as they discussed Wood's trials for the national team. The Irish boy smiled triumphantly.  
  
"Put it this way Luv, I could be at the next World Cup". Minako replied with a squeal of delight, she attached herself to Wood as best as she could while they continued walking.   
  
"Wow...maybe I could try for the Japanese team? Do they even have one...?"   
  
"Oh sure they do, wizards all over the world know about Quidditch". Minako's light blue eyes sparkled happily.  
  
"Ooo...! I could just imagine!" She gave another squeal of delight. Finally they approached the rest of the team, of which everyone was very nervous for their first game in two years. Wood was ready to dive into a victory speech, but Fred covered his mouth.  
  
"Not another one", Katie Bell warned, shooting their former team mate a warning glance. Wood laughed in response, then turned to Minako to plant a kiss on her cheek.  
  
"Can't stay long, Luv, I have to get going after the game". Minako puffed out her lower lip, but smiled as Wood left the area. The bubbly blond then gave Harry a tight hug.  
  
"You're going to win for us, aren't you Harry?" She commented, ruffling his hair.  
  
"I'll try", the younger boy replied, smiling shyly at the overly-confident senshi. Minako leaned in close to his ear.  
  
"Usa told me I'd be giving out a make-over today". Harry rose his eyebrows.  
  
"What's a *Make-over*?" He asked, but received no reply as they listened to Lee Jordan announce their names outside.  
  
****  
  
Usagi, Makoto, Rei and Ami all walked together while heading for the staff stands to watch the Quidditch game. Luna and Artemis trailed them, chatting quietly along the way.   
  
"I found out that Harry has a small crush on Hotaru", Rei mentioned, smirking towards Usagi, who also smiled back.  
  
"I've known about that for a while, but it seems her beauty has caught other attention as well", a chorus of giggles rang out from Rei and Makoto at this, Ami just smiled appreciatively. Usagi then threw her arms around the blue-haired woman dramatically. "Ami-chan! You spend too much time in books!" Ami brushed Usagi's hands off just as they reached their destination. All four sat together, Luna sitting upon Ami's lap, and Artemis upon Makoto's. Feeling quite brave, Usagi excused herself and stood, moving to a different seating position, beside Snape, who rose an eyebrow at her.  
  
"What have you come to bother me for this time?" He wasted no time in getting Usagi heated up in anger, but she did not begin a retaliation.  
  
"Is their a reversal potion for that Fume one? It seems Ami tends to be a little *too* quiet". Usagi moved closer to the Potions Master as Professor Sprout took a seat. The princess smiled innocently, as the question was meant for a joke.  
  
"You're surprised? You talk enough for the both of you". Usagi snorted at this comment, and turned her attention towards the Quidditch pitch as the game was about to start.  
  
Lee Jordan took his position by the magically advanced megaphone, ready to begin commentating.   
  
"TODAY'S GAME...SLYTHERIN VERSUS GRYFFINDORRRRRR!!!" A roar of the crowd arose as both teams, one side green and silver, the other scarlet and gold, took flight and began circling around each other to warm up.   
  
Professor McGonnagall shot Jordan a warning glance, as he tended to be a little too exuberant in his commentating.   
  
Meanwhile, on the field, players took their positions, as Madam Hooch with the quaffle under her arm waltzed out to the middle of the field and took hold of the whistle.  
  
"Ok, I want a nice, clean, game", she warned, before placing the whistle between her lips and throwing the quaffle up into the air.  
  
Angelina Johnson was the first to take hold of the Quaffle, and immediately headed towards the Slytherin end to make a try at the first goal. However, one of the Slytherin Chasers "bumped" into her and took possession of the quaffle.  
  
He raced quickly to the opposite end, and hurled the Quaffle towards the goal posts. Minako responded quickly, conditioned by years of professional volleyball, and spiked it hard, sending the quaffle towards the ground, where Angelina took re-possession of it.   
  
"A BLOODY BRILLIANT SAVE BY GRYFFINDOR, MINAKO AINO!" Jordan happily called out, an eruption of cheers sounded from the Gryffindor section.   
  
A bludger was hit by a Slytherin aimed for Angelina's head, but fellow teammate, Alicia Spinnet spotted the bludger and yelled out a warning, allowing the dark-skinned Chaser to move out of the way just in time. She threw the quaffle to Alicia, who scored shortly afterwards.   
  
"ALICIA SPINNET SCORES! TAKE THAT YOU..." McGonnagall stopped Jordan just in time before he was able to spout out inappropriate words. "TEN POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR!" It wasn't too long later that Angelina had reclaimed the quaffle and had scored another ten points, while on the other end, Minako was saving everything, and playing at an all-star rate.   
  
Meanwhile, above, Harry and Draco were facing each other, trying to catch a glimpse of gold, ready to dive for the illusive snitch. Draco had been acting even more cold and hateful since Harry had made it obvious he would've liked to have had Hotaru as a girlfriend. Ever since the weekend at Hogsmeade, Draco became all the more possessive of the violet-eyed girl, and the Headmistress was allowing it.  
  
  
"She's mine, Potter", Draco said darkly, cutting the silence from the elevation they were at. Harry shot a dirty look towards his rival.   
  
"Really? Did you tell her that?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow, "I thought she said she didn't belong to anybody". Harry smirked in triumph, when Draco suddenly thought the game below them was more interesting than their conversation.   
  
Finally one of the Slytherin Chasers made a goal after a bludger sent Minako dodging and abandoning her position for a few precious moments, Jordan made a few choice comments and the Slytherin crowd cheered.   
  
Harry was going to make a comment, but a flash of gold caught his sight, and he closed his mouth. Knowing his Firebolt was faster than Draco's Nimbus 2001, he decided not to pretend to just be checking out the game, he decided just to go for the snitch.   
  
Diving towards the ground, Draco soon noticed and followed, as predictable as Harry knew his rival was. The snitch was fast, and slipped out of Harry's reach several times regardless of how close he was.   
  
****  
  
"I do not think he's a troublemaker!" Usagi was currently defending herself, as a classic argument broke out between herself and the Potions Master, who's features were calm and cool as opposed to Usagi's red face.  
  
"Yes you do, you like playing favorites with Potter".  
  
"I do not!" They received several glares from the staff around them, mostly from Rei who was usually the one who argued with the princess.  
  
"Could you two shut up?" She requested, not too politely of course. She received a dark glare from Snape.  
  
"Could you mind your own business?" Snape shot out cooly. Rei narrowed her eyes, her upper lip curling.   
  
"If you weren't a teacher, I'd knock you to tomorrow", she threatened, tightening her fist, mentally checking where she had put her charms. Just in case. But Snape snorted in response, finding this comment quite amusing.  
  
"You would?" He challenged, but was cut off when Usagi made her way back into the conversation.  
  
"Excuse me, Rei, but we were having a discussion here..." The princess crossed her arms over her chest. Rei narrowed her eyes at the Headmistress.  
  
"I was defending you, *Odango Atama*"  
  
"Don't call me that!"   
  
"QUIET!" Lee Jordan shouted out, covering the mouthpiece with his hand, as to not have the argument broadcasted throughout the Quidditch Pitch. Several of the teachers clapped their hands in content as both Usagi and Rei fell silent, and were both quite embarrassed. But the argument ceased.  
  
****  
  
Both Draco and Harry had several opportunities to capture the snitch, but neither one succeeded, as the game carried on. Finally as the snitch buzzed around the Slytherin stands with the crowd 'oooing' and 'awwwwing', Harry nearly had his fingers around the tiny object.   
  
"Harry, look out!" The Weasley twins called out as a bludger flew straight for his head. Harry had just enough time to duck out of the way, but Draco flew right into the flying bludger's path.  
  
The crowd went silent for a split second as the bludger caused Draco to be knocked from his broom into the Slytherin crowd underneath him. His fall was broken by a fellow Slytherin. None other than fellow classmate, Hotaru Tsukino, who's head banged off the wood beneath her with a painful thump as Draco was thrown atop of her.   
  
"Draco..." She growled out, as a purple flash sent the blond Slytherin flying six feet away into another bunch of students. Both Hotaru and Draco passed out.  
  
****  
  
"Draco!" Usagi shrieked, acting purely on adrenalin, she removed her robes and dove off the stands before anyone had time to stop her. Screams rang out, but turned into gasps as huge, white wings sprouted from the princess' back and began beating to bring Usagi back into the air.   
  
She flew straight for Hotaru, students backed away as the body-length wings fluttered irritably, acting from the owner's emotions. Usagi kneeled, and brushed her hand across Hotaru's still hot forehead. She frowned, and glanced towards Draco who had been lowered to the floor as well.   
  
Harry had caught the snitch after Draco was hit by the bludger, ending the game, but no noise was made in celebration, as all interest was on the strange purple flash that had come from the daughter of the Headmistress. Both Quidditch teams lowered to the ground, rushing towards the stands, where their Headmistress was now summoning stretchers for the injured students. Harry approached Usagi in concern.  
  
"Is she going to be alright?" Harry asked, not looking towards his fallen rival at all. Usagi smiled comfortingly.   
  
"Of course, she just bumped her head...why don't you get Ron, Hermione and the Japanese staff members up to my office, hm? I'll be up there as soon as I get these two to the Hospital Wing". The smile continued to play on Usagi's lips as she flapped her wings to raise slightly in the air. Just enough to raise above the student's heads, and get the stretchers over as well, and headed towards the school.   
  
Harry did as he was told, and mounted his Firebolt to relay the message to those whom it concerned.   
  
Madam Pomfry had screamed when she saw the wings on Usagi's back, but recovered quickly as to tend to her new patients.  
  
****  
  
Usagi headed towards her office, and gave the password to the gryphon guarding the entrance.  
  
"Moonie likes chocolate"( AN: that's for Timbo Gurl ^-^), she called out, the gryphon then began revolving around, raising up a staircase entrance to the office. Usagi quickly climbed the stairs, and grinned at the sight that greeted her.   
  
"Usagi!" Sirius called out happily, alerting the eyes of the other people in the office.   
  
"How are they?" Ami asked, concern showing on her face.  
  
"They'll both be fine...just will have headaches for a while, I suppose...great game though, wasn't it?" Usagi patted Harry on the back, this caused a little quiet laughter. "Where's Minako?" Usagi asked, noticing that one of her senshi was missing.   
  
"Oh, she went to get her make-up case", Makoto replied casually, while holding the corner of her eyes on Sirius, a playful smirk on her lips. All the senshi in the room began laughing, Sirius glanced nervously towards Harry, as he and Hermione both began laughing as well. Sirius gulped, thinking he may have been given a death threat.   
  
Within a short amount of time, Minako had returned, partially out of breath, lugging a large silver and orange case with her.   
  
"Alright, I can't have all of you up here watching while I do this..." She said, giving everyone looks that meant 'get lost'. Usagi smiled, and clapped her hands together.  
  
"In that case..." She took Ami's hand, and dragged the shy senshi towards Lupin, who seemed to be equally as shy. "Ami Mizuno, meet Remus Lupin". And the princess left it at that, leaving the two alone, Makoto then approached Usagi.  
  
"I don't suppose you know how I can get a hold of some cooking ware?" Usagi smirked.  
  
  
"Of course I do! Follow me...anybody else up for a snack?" Rei, Harry, Hermione and Ron readily agreed as the group left the office to head down to the kitchens.   
  
"So what do you do?" Lupin began, color slightly rising in his cheeks at the thought of Usagi wanting to play some joke on him...which seemed to be in her nature.  
  
"I'm a doctor...a *muggle* doctor, usually, but Usagi asked me to become the librarian for the year". Ami began, she eyed Sirius sympathetically as Minako pulled out a jar of what appeared to be skin cream. Lupin followed the blue-haired woman's gaze.  
  
"She's not going to kill him, is she?" He asked, but received a delightful bout of giggling in return.  
  
"Of course not, she's just going to try to reverse what effects unnatural aging had on him".   
  
"Oh..." Was the reply. Several moments of uncomfortable silence followed, before Lupin began speaking again. "I don't suppose you play wizards' chess?" He asked. Ami's face brightened into a smile.  
  
****  
  
Hotaru lay in the hospital bed, staring angrily at the blank ceiling. No doubt her foster mother would be angry again, even though the outburst wasn't her fault. It was *his* fault. The violet-eyed girl then glanced towards the bed next to her, where Draco was stuffing his face with chocolate, seeming to be thinking to himself. He had a large white bandage tied around his head, with a patch of dark blood on the front of his forehead seeping through.  
  
"I could be with my mother right now, if it wasn't for you", Hotaru suddenly burst out annoyed. Draco put down his chocolate and smirked.  
  
"It wasn't my fault that thing hit me, I took it instead of Potter". That was true, Hotaru had to give him that much.   
  
"Alright, but you still slammed into me".  
  
"And you used that weird repelling charm on me...I'm surprised you didn't kill me". Draco said, and Hotaru knew now what she was capable of, her foster mother had told her about the hidden powers that were awakening.  
  
"I could've". The violet-eyed girl said simply. Draco went pale at hearing this, ceasing to breath for several moments before color returned to his face.  
  
"What else can you do special?" He asked, again too curious for his own good.   
  
  
Hotaru pushed herself up on the bed, groaning as a wave of pain washed through her. She noticed that she was still in her school uniform, minus her Mary-Jane styled shoes, so the floor was quite cold when she rested her stocking feet upon it.  
  
"I'll show you", she said, and waddled slowly towards Draco's bed, where she sat next to him. Draco pushed himself up and as far back as he could go out of fear, allowing Hotaru to stifle a giggle.   
  
"What are you going to do to me?" He asked, his voice giving away his supposed bravery. Again Hotaru giggled.  
  
"I'm not going to kill you...right now anyways." She reached for the blond's bandage, Draco flinched, but allowed her to remove it from his forehead. Then she placed the palm of her right hand over the wound and closed her eyes.  
  
"What are you...?"  
  
"Shhh...for a minute, I'm concentrating." As if to prove she was, Hotaru closed her eyes as tightly as she could, and focused her energy into her palm. The mark on her forehead began glowing for the second time that day, as warm energy flowed through her and proceeded to close the wound on Draco's forehead.   
  
After the healing process finished, Hotaru's energy had severely depleted, causing her to collapse from exhaustion. Her head lay on Draco's chest, as he checked her pulse hoping that she had not died, and that he would not be blamed for her death.   
  
"Hotaru!" He called out, her violet eyes fluttered open, as she turned her head slightly to look at Draco, causing her to blush when she realized she still was partially on top of him, although the blond Slytherin didn't seem to notice, as he was trying to read her expression. "I thought you killed yourself", he exclaimed truthfully.  
  
"No", she answered softly, bringing a hand to her forehead, then lay it beside her head on Draco's chest. "I healed you". Draco made a noise of surprise, then reached his own hand to feel for evidence of his wound. A sinful smile curved at his lips when he realized that it was gone.   
  
"Wow...so now you know how to use your abilities...can you teach me?" He asked, almost knowing the outcome of that question.   
  
"You can't learn...you have to be born with it". Draco felt disappointed at hearing this, but nevertheless, never let it totally get him down.  
  
"Ok then, will you be my girlfriend instead?" Hotaru didn't know how to answer that question, not only was it the most odd request she had ever heard, but he was so *blunt* about asking it. Several moments of silence was interrupted when Madam Pomfry entered the room.  
  
  
"Hey you two lovebirds! I want you to rest, not to make mischief while you're alone...I should be taking points, but under the circumstances, I won't...providing, that you, Miss Tsukino, return to your own bed". Madam Pomfry watched like a hawk, placing her arms firmly on her hips.  
  
Hotaru blushed terribly, but obeyed, allowing Draco to help her up, she waddled back to her own bed, and fell asleep almost instantly after her head hit the pillow.   
  
****  
  
"...That sounds like Usagi all right. She's always trying to help even if she ends up making matters worse". Ami and Lupin laughed.   
  
"I suppose that's why Dumbledore thought she was best for the job".  
  
"Probably...she said she owed him a favor, though...a wizards' boon?" Ami finally decided what move to make, then she moved her knight. "Check".  
  
"A wizard's boon means that he would've done something *very* important for her, to cause her to be in debt to him", Lupin moved his bishop in front of his king. Ami smiled, and attacked the bishop.  
  
"Check Mate". Lupin studied what he had done wrong for several moments, then looked up at Ami, who's eyes were sparkling in amusement, he smiled back.  
  
"I couldn't imagine healing someone without magic..." Lupin began as he cleared off the chess board, to allow the pieces to reform.   
  
"Magic is a faster cure, but muggles wouldn't understand it..."  
  
"That's true". Both turned to face the door, when Minako reentered with Sirius following behind, taking the invisibility cloak (borrowed from Harry) off of him. He was still partially wet, and had a mask of white goo covering his face. Ami and Lupin laughed at the sight. Minako shot them a dirty look, as she directed Sirius to a seat.  
  
"For your information, I needed the hot water to activate the mud for his face...and we had to go all the way down to the other side of the school to use a vacant bathroom." An awkward silence filled the room for a brief moment.  
  
"You *bathed* him?" Ami asked in disbelief. Minako's face colored.  
  
"No! I wasn't looking...besides, I have a boyfriend", she narrowed her eyes at Ami from the accusation, then returned to Sirius.   
  
It took her a few minutes before all of the mud was removed off of Sirius' face. Minako smiled in triumph after seeing the results, but frowned again when she noticed the long matted hair trailing down his back.  
  
"Alright, I would like to keep some of the hair, 'cause it's sexy...but I'm going to trim the back, and give you bangs, ok?" The bubbly blond placed her hands firmly on her hips. Sirius gulped as she then picked up a pair of large sharp scissors and brought them to his hair. Starting with the bangs, she cut them to his cheekbones, then cut the back of his hair up to his shoulder blades. Taking a small black ribbon, she pulled his hair back into a pony tail, tying it with the ribbon.   
  
After finishing, Minako took a step back and admired her work. She looked towards Ami and Lupin.  
  
"Well? What do you think?" Speechless was what she received, considering two sets of jaws just hit the floor. Voices could be heard near by as the rest of the group made their way back into the office. Everyone froze once they caught glimpse of Sirius.   
  
"Wow..." Usagi squeaked out, her face spreading into a smile, this seemed to break the silence as everyone began making compliments all at once.   
  
"You work your magic *good*", Rei complimented, Minako beamed. Makoto put down a platter full of food on the desk near by Sirius, she quietly whispered comments into Usagi's ear that made the princess roll her eyes.  
  
"You always think they look like old boyfriends..." Usagi sourly commented. Makoto offered her food to everyone, who took it eagerly, Ron stuffing his face just as fast as Usagi.  
  
"It was like pulling teeth to get the house elves to let me use the kitchen..." Makoto mentioned, Usagi nodded her head, "Usa-chan had to really use what little leadership skills that she has", Usagi playfully punched the taller girl in the arm for the comment.  
  
"Makes good food, doesn't she?" Usagi broke in, offering more to the new and improved Sirius, who smiled appreciatively towards Makoto (who blushed in response).  
  
"Very good..." Makoto's blush deepened, Harry than bombarded her with Quidditch stories, since her own game was going to be the next day.   
  
Usagi stood off to the side, for a few moments by herself, and watched the scenes around her. She studied Makoto, Sirius and Harry together for a few moments, and thought that to any muggle eye, that particular three some would pass off as a family, with Makoto's emerald green eyes and Sirius' dark unruly hair. The princess pulled Minako off to the side.  
  
"What's your diagnosis?" Usagi asked playfully, waiting until Minako mentally understood what Usagi was hinting at. The bubbly blond turned to the princess and smirked.  
  
"Oh yes, leave it to me..." Minako walked along the shelves and pulled down the dusty old sorting hat and held it up. "Who wants to be sorted?" She called out playfully, "since we never were". Minako placed the hat on her head, listening to the messages being blurted out to her so only she could hear. Finally the hat made its decision.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" It called out. No surprise there, but laughter filled the room, as Minako passed the hat to Makoto.   
  
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Was called out, another 'no surprise'. Makoto then handed the hat to Ami, who placed it on her head.  
  
"RAVENCLAW!" But that again was no surprise considering Ami's incredibly high I.Q. The blue-haired girl took the shabby hat off and smiled, she looked toward Lupin.  
  
"What house were you in?" She asked curiously.  
  
"I was in Gryffindor, Sirius, here was Hufflepuff". Lupin added, glancing towards Sirius, who was grinning after Makoto discovered to be in the same house. Ami then handed the hat to Rei, who eagerly placed it on her head. This time the hat had a longer time thinking about its decision, but finally gave an answer.   
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" Rei's lips curled. The other senshi eyed her questioningly, wanting to know why it took so long for the hat to decide.  
  
"I'm smart, loyal *and* brave...just the perfect woman..." The senshi laughed at this, then the hat was finally passed to Usagi, who paled at the sight of it.   
  
"We already know I'll be in Gryffindor", Usagi said, backing away as Rei held the hat out to her.  
  
"You're not brave, you're a crybaby!" Rei said, narrowing her eyes. Finally Usagi took the hat, and the answer wasn't needed to be thought out, the hat gave the decision immediately before the it completely touched her head.  
  
"SLYTHERIN!" It called out. Silence cut through the room like a sharp knife, as all eyes rested on one person. Usagi suddenly felt feverish, she knew exactly why she would've been in Slytherin, she knew why and no one else did. Except Dumbledore, of course.   
  
"I...I should go check on Hotaru..." Usagi mumbled, before turning to rush out of the room, silent tears flowing down her face. The others stared numbly after her.  
  
****  
  
Hotaru sat with the Gryffindors the next night, avoiding Draco as much as possible, since she had yet to answer the question he had asked her before she moved back to her own bed in the Hospital Wing. She didn't know what to think of the question. Her foster mother had come down to see her that same day, seemingly to be upset for some reason. Usagi always refused to tell her secrets.   
  
While Usagi escorted Hotaru to her room that night, Hotaru had asked what she should've said after being questioned by Draco, but Usagi was off in her own world at that point, and had no advice to offer.   
  
Usagi meanwhile had kept her distance from the senshi, since the Sorting Hat incident, she didn't know what kind of excuse to make up, since she didn't have the bravery to spill out her secret, thus another reason why she wasn't a Gryffindor. She feared rejection, and she already have had enough rejection to last her a life time.   
  
Makoto was the only one that had spoken to Usagi out of all the senshi, the same night as the Quidditch game as well. The tall brunette had caught the princess by her room before she retired for the night.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
"Usagi! Usagi! What's wrong? Are you ok?" Makoto had called out, trying to catch her princess' attention. It had worked.  
  
"I'm fine...just a little tired from the day".   
  
"I'll bet...that wing display was impressive". Usagi colored from embarrassment, although all senshi understood quite quickly from the brief explanation. "By the way, did you like Sirius or something?" Makoto never wasted time getting to the point, her face was etched with worry, since she had developed an instant crush on Harry's godfather.  
  
"Well...I'm not sure, why do you ask?"  
  
"Because...he likes you". Usagi faltered. "I know you promised Harry to let him move in with you...but I *do* live alone..."  
  
"You want him to stay with you?" Usagi asked, she felt relief flood inside of her, caring for Hotaru would be a handful, but to have Harry as well would be that much more.   
  
"Well, yes", Makoto suddenly blushed, "I also asked Sirius if he'd like to stay with me as well...he was thrilled with the idea...but he did mention that he was attracted to you..." Makoto went quiet, studying Usagi's face trying to read her expressions.  
  
"Don't they all..." Usagi allowed herself a sigh.  
  
"Still thinking about Mamoru?" Makoto softly questioned, approaching closer towards her princess, wondering if she should offer comfort, Usagi smiled at her taller friend, then looked away again.  
  
"Sometimes...the pain is still strong..." She admitted. Deciding to change the awkward subject, Makoto put on a bright smile.  
  
"Well, I'm going to be playing Quidditch tomorrow...you'll be rooting for me?"  
  
"Of course". Makoto waved and rushed off to find Harry so she could practice, leaving Usagi to think to herself again.  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
The next day consisted of classes finishing early that afternoon for the game between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, where Makoto would have her first official start as Seeker. Hotaru's last class before the game was Care of Magical Creatures, and since they were working with the same creatures as the previous week, students were allowed to begin right away on their own.   
  
Hotaru's animal was being particularly shy that day, and decided to head for the shade of the trees on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Hotaru followed, and sat by herself, thankful for the chance to do so. Petting the soft furry animal, Hotaru took a seat on the other side of a large tree, facing towards the forest, wondering if she'd ever get a chance to speak to a unicorn again.  
  
It would've almost been a pleasant time, if Draco hadn't spotted her, and decide to bother her...again. The blond Slytherin carefully snuck away from the rest of the students, and stood in front of Hotaru, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"What?" The violet-eyed girl half-sighed.   
  
"You never answered my question..." He began, receiving a glare.  
  
"Why should I be your girlfriend?" She accused hotly. Draco couldn't come up with a quick comment after that, he quietly thought over possible answers in his mind, after a few moments, he sat down across from Hotaru, then glared back.  
  
"You better not say anything to anyone..." Hotaru sighed.  
  
"What?" She asked.  
  
"Because...that one unicorn that talked to me said that you should...well...that I should look after you...so basically, you should be my girlfriend." Hotaru could hardly believe her ears. After all, this was cold, cruel, Slytherin blondie here...  
  
"You're serious?" She questioned. Knowing that her foster mother always kept special watch over her...but if Draco did...   
  
"Well...?"  
  
"I don't know". Hotaru replied with, her mind began racing with several different options...she liked Harry...she didn't like Draco...or did she...she didn't like Pansy...Pansy liked Draco...hmmm.... "I'll have to think about it". Hotaru rose from her seated position, Draco did as well, but grabbed her arm before she could leave the shelter of the trees and turned her around, placing a possessive kiss on Hotaru's lips. It didn't last long...Hotaru pulled away from shock, never having experienced such an act before.  
  
"I think you do know", Draco confirmed, his voice now quieter than before. Hotaru's violet eyes gazed into Draco's grey ones for several moments.  
  
"Alright", she said, "I'll be your girlfriend". This was the right answer. Draco's upper lip curled in a satisfied manor, and he kept hold of Hotaru's arm, leading her out into the clearing. Luckily their class was with the Ravenclaws that day, so Hotaru didn't have to face Harry, but she inwardly smiled when noticing that Pansy Parkinson was shooting daggers from her eyes at that particular moment. The moment was interrupted, however, when Hagrid announced the end of the class.  
  
"'Righ' then...yeh all can go to the game now". He said, sending all the students rushing for the Quiddich Pitch.  
  
****  
  
Halloween was finally here. That night's feast was an especially festive one. The ceiling in the Great Hall was dark with thunder and lighting from the storm outside. Jack-o-lanterns lit the hall as well, floating above the heads of feasting students below.  
  
Makoto had put on an impressive display at the last Quidditch game, easily being a skilled Seeker, and winning the game for her team against Ravenclaw. She had been friendly with Ravenclaw's Seeker, Cho Chang, since Harry had admitted his crush on the pretty girl.   
  
Needless to say, all the senshi had been thrilled after Usagi had revealed to them that her foster daughter now had a boyfriend. There wasn't a time when Draco didn't have Hotaru on his arm while walking from class to class, or having her sit next to him during all the meals. Usagi was happy for that...Draco was pure-hearted despite his character, and Hotaru would do good for him...given time.  
  
After the feast, Usagi had to avoid many ghosts who were in the spirit to head down to the dungeons for her regular lesson. Feeling quite down lately, her mood was suddenly worsened after she entered the room and received quite a cold greeting.  
  
"You may leave, your lessons no longer need to continue". That felt like a cold slap to the cheek on Usagi's part.  
  
"What do you mean?" She cried out, feeling like she was about to burst into tears. Snape looked up at her, with an unreadable expression.  
  
"You need no instruction, you obviously have the talent for the subject, so there's no need to waste any more time here." Usagi wasn't sure whether to take the comment as a compliment or as an insult. She decided on both.   
  
"I see...I suppose you were an excelled student when you were in school as well?" She decided on trying for a conversation, since she had nothing else planned for the evening, and wished to keep her racing mind occupied. Snape glared at her, however.  
  
"That's none of your..."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, none of my business...I get it..." Frustrated, the princess turned heel and left the room, knowing that trying to have a conversation with Severus Snape was nearly impossible.   
  
Suddenly, and idea began brewing in her mind. If she already knew how to make potions, she might as well use the skills.  
  
Rushing down the hall towards the Gryffindor tower, she soon made it to the Common Room, and found Hermione busy with homework at one of the tables. The bushy-haired girl looked up and smiled brightly.  
  
"Hi!" She called out, "What are you doing here, Madam Tsukino?"  
  
"I have a question", Usagi took a seat across from Hermione and folded her hands thoughtfully in front of her on the table.  
  
"Ok, go ahead", Hermione put down her quill and waited for the question.  
  
"How do you get someone to talk and be truthful, even though they wouldn't do that normally...naming Professor Snape". Hermione already had a vague idea of who Usagi was talking about, but played along.  
  
"Well...use a strong truth potion...or the traditional way..." Usagi nodded, "get him drunk". Usagi smiled and remained silent for several moments while reviewing her options.  
  
"What about both?" She asked.  
  
"Well then, you'd basically be guaranteed a result, but it might not be pleasant". Usagi rose from her seat.  
  
"Stay here, don't move, I'll be right back..." And she rushed off quickly, not allowing anyone to interrupt her on the way.  
  
Minutes later, Usagi returned with a bottle of wine concealed under her robes, stolen from the kitchens. Hermione giggled when she noticed. Usagi heavily plopped the bottle down in front of the bushy-haired Gryffindor and pulled another smaller crystal bottle from one of her many pockets, and set it down as well.   
  
"Veritaserium...I stole some while in Professor Snape's office...I've been sneaking several ingredients into empty bottles over these past weeks, and he hasn't noticed...I think...will it work?" Hermione picked up the crystal bottle and admired it quite thoroughly.   
  
"Oh yes, quite well...all you'll need is three drops." After hearing this, Usagi took out her ebony wand and used one of her recently learned charms to open it. She took the crystal bottle of veritaserium from Hermione and put three drops into the wine.  
  
"Can you make the wine stronger?" Usagi questioned, causing a mischievous smile to cross Hermione's lips. She pointed the tip of her own wand to the opening of the wine bottle.  
  
"Forte!" She said, causing the dark liquid inside of the bottle to sparkle for several moments, before becoming dormant again. Usagi placed the cork back into the top of the wine bottle, and rose from her seat. She concealed the bottle back underneath her robes again, and smiled appreciatively towards Hermione.  
  
"Thanks..." She said, Hermione rose as well, and cut in.  
  
"But how do you know you can get the Professor to drink it?" She asked. Usagi took a moment to consider the question, then she smiled.  
  
"Well, I'll try...thanks for the help, Hermione...twenty points for Gryffindor", the princess winked at the student, then headed out of the room, and back down to the dungeons.  
  
****  
  
AN: cliffie, cliffie...I know...I'm sooooo sorry I didn't get this out sooner, but a really close friend of mine died on Thursday...he was a big animé fanatic too...neways, I went to the funeral today, lots of tears...I'm going to miss him...  
  
I don't blame a lot of you if you don't like this anymore...but like I said, there's reasons for all these happenings, and I'm going to be revealing a lot of stuff soon...like *really* soon... 


	6. Don't Drink and Drive!

****Disclaimer: I've got a new box ^-^ evil lawyers stay away! I don't own 'em  
  
****Author's Note: WARNING: NOT FOR YOUNG WIZARDS OR WITCHES!! It's starting to take the dark tone that I mentioned now, as much as I like writing explicit stuff...I will refrain from doing so and keep this tasteful...  
  
Arigatou to all of those very kind words of sympathy...they were very sweet!  
  
PinkRabbit: might not be what you expect...^-^  
  
Alcandre: Secrets will be revealed soon...promise !!  
  
Silver Moon Goddess: I agree! I think they make a very cute couple too...my imouto made the decision, based on how she like Hotaru and Pietro (X-Men: Evolution) together...therefore, Draco reminded her of Pietro  
  
The Sovereign of Selenity: hai! I think Ami and Remus are a good match too ^-^ arigatou for the idea !!  
  
Usagi Asia Maxwell: you actually dreamt about it?!? WOW! That's sugoi, sugoi, sugoi!! ~gushes~  
  
BlueFrost: I'll try my best to make it work and keep them in character...promise ! All pairings were thought out thoroughly, and for this storyline, I just couldn't see Usagi with anyone else...besides, Mako and Sirius are kawaii together...so I think anyways...  
  
alexz: you're awesome! You write a *lot* of reviews...I wish other people were more like you! ~hint hint to all those other non-review type peoples!!~  
  
Senshi's Tenshi: Thursday January 30, and they called it an "Act of God", because they found nothing wrong with him from the autopsy. Kinda' creepy really...he was found dead at the side of the road, with his bike...so it's all a mystery. And that little message did cheer me up, arigatou   
^-^  
  
Timbo Gurl: arigatou so much for the email...it was very sweet ^-^ all secrets will be revealed soon...I promise!  
  
Before we begin, I will tell you that I'm purposely going to be switching to Snape's first name, as Usagi will be getting more personal with him...(just as I refer to Draco by his first name as well).  
****  
  
Last time...  
  
Minutes later, Usagi returned with a bottle of wine concealed under her robes, stolen from the kitchens. Hermione giggled when she noticed. Usagi heavily plopped the bottle down in front of the bushy-haired Gryffindor and pulled another smaller crystal bottle from one of her many pockets, and set it down as well.   
  
"Veritaserium...I stole some while in Professor Snape's office...I've been sneaking several ingredients into empty bottles over these past weeks, and he hasn't noticed...I think...will it work?" Hermione picked up the crystal bottle and admired it quite thoroughly.   
  
"Oh yes, quite well...all you'll need is three drops." After hearing this, Usagi took out her ebony wand and used one of her recently learned charms to open it. She took the crystal bottle of veritaserium from Hermione and put three drops into the wine.  
  
"Can you make the wine stronger?" Usagi questioned, causing a mischievous smile to cross Hermione's lips. She pointed the tip of her own wand to the opening of the wine bottle.  
  
"Forte!" She said, causing the dark liquid inside of the bottle to sparkle for several moments, before becoming dormant again. Usagi placed the cork back into the top of the wine bottle, and rose from her seat. She concealed the bottle back underneath her robes again, and smiled appreciatively towards Hermione.  
  
"Thanks..." She said, Hermione rose as well, and cut in.  
  
"But how do you know you can get the Professor to drink it?" She asked. Usagi took a moment to consider the question, then she smiled.  
  
"Well, I''ll try...thanks for the help, Hermione...twenty points for Gryffindor", the princess winked at the student, then headed out of the room, and back down to the dungeons.  
  
Back to the present...  
  
Deciding that it would still be some time before Professor Snape would be finished his night time prowls, Usagi went back to her own room after the visit with Hermione.   
  
Her room was rather large and elegant, decorated mostly in white and scarlet, with a large fireplace on one side, and a canopy bed on the other, it looked like it came from a Victorian-style magazine. Usagi set the wine bottle on the desk with the huge mirror, she took her odangos out, silver and gold spilt out across her back to the floor.   
  
Knowing that it was quite cold in the dungeons, Usagi removed the gown she usually wore, which was totally backless, and put on a thicker gown which also had a corset-styled top, but tied up in the back as opposed to the front. This gown was not pure white as the other, but rather an assortment of dark, rich colors. Mainly midnight blues and royal purples. Feeling this choice was better, the princess picked up the wine bottle and didn't bother with her robes...the night air was chilly on the exposed skin left. Usagi brought her free hand up to the hand carrying the bottle to rub feeling back into it.   
  
A stroke of thunder sounded throughout the dark corridor, making Usagi jump. She nearly dropped the bottle, but quickly coming back to her senses, she tightened the grip on the wine bottle.   
  
"What's wrong, milady?" A voice called out. Sir Cadogan rode by on his gray pony through some paintings, to ride alongside Usagi.   
"Just afraid of the storm, Sir Knight". The princess allowed herself a giggle.  
  
"Where does the fair maiden wander on such a night? When ghosts and goblins scare young children...she has not taken her lesson?" Sir Cadogan halted his pony in a painting with an elderly man, who began protesting, but was backed away from Cadogan's pony pawing at him.  
  
"This isn't for a lesson, I'm on a social call, Sir Cadogan".   
  
"Ah...t'would explain why the Lady is dressed the way she is...you are lovely in midnight, milady". This comment caused Usagi to blush.   
  
"Thank you...I was hoping you would help me find my way again?"  
  
"Whatever milady wishes...where might she be going on this eve?" Sir Cadogan dismounted his pony and bowed lowly to Usagi.  
  
"I wish to see the Professor...do you know where he is?" Again disappointment crossed the knights' face, but he answered the question in obedience.  
  
"He has returned to his room, milady, shall I escort you there?" Sir Cadogan remounted his pony and kicked it sternly in the side, sending him galloping through portraits, not too far from Snape's office, and stopped near a closed door. "Here we are..."  
  
"Thank you Sir Cadogan", Usagi said, and playfully brought her puckered lips to the painting that now contained the knight. If it was at all possible, Sir Cadogan blushed. Almost immediately afterwards, the knight and the pony left Usagi by herself, to face the doorway. The princess could feel her heart beating ever so quickly in her chest as she brought her knuckles up to rap on the door. Suddenly she thought better of that, and gently pushed the door open, slowly as to not alarm the one inside the room.   
  
"What are you doing here?" Was the demand that came from Severus' lips when Usagi walked in unannounced. But she was ready, having come up with responses for his cruel comments during her time free from having no lesson.  
  
"You know, I should be upset at you for cancelling my lessons..." Was Usagi's immediate reply. But the Potion's Master was always quicker.  
  
"I should be upset at you for taking lessons when you obviously did not need them...it is partially my fault, I should've known better when your own daughter learns at an accelerated rate."  
  
"First of all, I adopted her...and second of all, I'm not good at anything, so if I *knew* that I was good at potions...I wouldn't have asked for the lessons in the first place." Usagi had to catch her breath after that sentence. Severus smirked.  
  
"Fair enough". Usagi approached the desk he was working at, it seemed he preferred hunting poor unsuspecting students out of bed first, and grading papers later.   
  
"It's so dark in here...unlike my room...don't you ever sleep?" The princess asked, setting the bottle of wine on the desk, but the question was ignored as Severus eyed the bottle suspiciously.  
  
"What's that?" He asked sharply, setting down the quill that was in his hand.  
  
"A peace offering", Usagi said simply, noticing that there wasn't any other seats in the room, save for the bed that sat not too far away, draped in black (to no surprise to her). There were several candles lit around the room, illuminating very little, but enough to be able to read. The air was just as cool as it was any where else amongst the dungeons, however, Usagi could see the steam coming from her mouth from breathing.  
  
"What did you drug it with?" Severus asked, leaning back in his chair, the same smirk that he had sported a few moments before reappeared on his face. Usagi rose her eyebrows, to try her best at playing innocent.  
  
"What?" She asked, trying her best to sound confused.  
  
"What *poison* did you choose?" Usagi inwardly warned herself to not give herself away, she was getting nervous already.  
  
"It is not poisoned!" She defended herself with.  
  
"Prove it", Severus pushed an empty goblet that was sitting near by towards her, luckily Usagi's assumption that the Professor drank wine frequently was proven, as she noticed a few empty bottles laying on a shelf near by.   
  
Usagi took a deep breath and used the same charm that she had used earlier to reopen the bottle, and poured herself a goblet full of dark wine. It wasn't the fact that she would be drugged with veritaserium that bothered her, it was the fact that it didn't take much at all to get her drunk. She had proven that a few years ago when at a party thrown by an Englishman that Mamoru had befriended. She had made a complete fool of herself then, and no doubt she would probably do the same again this night.  
  
Bringing the goblet to her lips, she closed her eyes tightly and gulped down the cool liquid as fast as she could. After finishing, she brought the empty goblet down to the desk with a bang, and began a coughing fit. Severus grinned evilly at the sight, but it turned into a frown, when Usagi brought a hand to her throat and ceased the coughing fit. She smiled sweetly.  
  
"I was never much of a drinker...but unfortunately for you, the wine is not poisoned." Severus allowed himself a few moments to silently curse Usagi, but then reached for an empty goblet himself, and poured in some of the wine, drinking it down without hesitating. He, however, did not begin a coughing fit.  
  
"Good choice", he said, causing Usagi to inwardly swell with pride, this caused her to begin her questioning right away. She placed her hands on the desk in front of her and kept her cerulean blue eyes staring directly into Severus' obsidian black ones.  
  
"Why do you hate me?" She asked.  
  
"I don't hate you", was the immediate reply, Usagi smiled. "I just find you very, *very* annoying", he added. The smile faded from the princess' lips. He was telling the truth...undoubtably. Severus downed another goblet full before faltering suddenly.  
  
"You did drug this...didn't you?" He asked, his eyes widening slightly. Usagi smirked.  
  
"Yep", already the alcohol was taking effect at making her slightly more brave then she normally would be.  
  
"With what?"  
  
"Veritaserium." Usagi received a cold glare from Severus hearing this.  
  
"I could have you arrested for stealing things..."  
  
"Go for it", Usagi challenged, then giggled. She brought a hand to her mouth to try and stop the melodic noise coming from herself.   
  
"Why did you...?"  
  
"You never talk to me...I've known you for two whole months, and know absolutely nothing about you....I could recite Minerva's whole life story by now...this is the only way I can get you to talk".  
  
"I don't have to", Severus said, knowing that he was cornering the Headmistress, and fast, and she knew it too.  
  
"I know...I want to know why you insist on giving Harry a hard time all the time". Usagi crossed her arms over her chest and rose her eyebrow, awaiting an answer.  
  
"I don't give Potter a hard time...I treat him exactly as I treat all other students...not extra-lenient like everyone else insists on doing." His voice was growing colder by the second, Usagi felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise slightly.   
  
"You think he gets off too easily?" The princess pressed on, testing how much luck she really had.  
  
"I don't *think* Madam Tsukino...I *know*, just as his father was favored..." Usagi tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach, now she was getting somewhere.  
  
"Oh...I know the story between you and Harry's father..."  
  
"Of course you do, I know you've kept close relations with that werewolf...I'm sure you've heard quite the tales from Black as well..." Severus' lip curled, he watched with satisfaction as Usagi's face paled very noticeably at hearing this. The Potions Master allowed himself to pour another goblet full of wine.   
  
"How did you know about Sirius?" She felt like slapping herself when Severus' grin widened, she was just had.   
  
"What he no doubt failed to tell you, is that his friend James Potter always got his way...without having been punished for his trouble makings...while the rest of us had to go through schooling without so much as crossing the line once..." Severus suddenly stopped, he was angry, but in his anger realized that he was saying too much...more than he should reveal to the woman across from her. Changing the subject, he decided to turn the tables on the Headmistress. "How old are you?" Was the question, and took Usagi completely by surprise, as she had not prepared herself to be interrogated.   
  
"Why?" She asked, her features becoming dormant.  
  
"Did you not adopt your daughter at infancy?"  
  
"Yes, I did, *why*?"  
  
"You do not seem old enough to have a fifteen year old in your care when you adopted her from an infant...the Headmaster failed to tell us any details of his replacement...which causes me to wonder what exactly your qualifications are...from what I can see you look not a day over twenty." Usagi tried her best to think up a reply that was truthful, but at the same time would not give herself away.   
  
"I cannot answer that." She said, trying her best not to give herself away.  
  
"Indeed...then perhaps you can tell me why you are raising your daughter alone, and are not married? Or are you?" Severus was enjoying himself now, he nearly had the wine bottle three quarters empty, but Usagi suddenly decided to take it upon herself to take another goblet full...obviously not enjoying the questioning herself.  
  
"No...I came close though...years ago. He was my 'one and only', until I found out..."  
  
"Found out what?" Usagi stopped herself for a brief moment, she and the Potions Master staring intently at each other.   
  
"I cannot answer that". Severus brought a fist down hard onto the desk in front of him.   
  
"Why the secrecy?!?" He yelled out, causing Usagi to jump after being scared half to death. "Tell me why the Headmaster wanted you of all people to come here?"  
  
"He wanted me to protect Harry...and I assure you, no one could be more capable than myself for the job..." Severus rose from his seat, for the first time since Usagi arrived, and moved around the desk, causing Usagi to back up from fear. She was hoping that he would've been like herself, and would've been a fool when drunk, but no...he was not an amusing drunk, he was a *mean* drunk, and was proving it quite capably at that moment. She would've turned around and run for it, but Severus was quick, and grabbed her arms, pulling her close to him.   
  
"Indeed?" He said, quietly, the same velvet purr that had haunted her since the evening of the second day of school. He brought his face close to hers, Usagi tried to wrench herself from his grip but to no avail. "You're not so dangerous right now..." he taunted, "you quiver in fear..." he added, which was true. Usagi was shaking, several emotions racing through her at once...not only fear.   
  
"Don't..." she whimpered, her eyes closed tightly as a hot tear escaped the corner of her eye and slid down her pale cheek. But he didn't cease his taunting, drugged with veritaserium, only words of truth came from him.  
  
"You are only looks..." He whispered, hot breath tickled Usagi's cheek as Severus held her so tightly.   
  
Suddenly, without warning, his lips had claimed hers.   
  
Shock was not the word, as Usagi felt herself try to struggle still...only now it was more than just a cruel verbal assault, he was tormenting her physically as well. There was a fine line between hate and lust...and it had been crossed, it had been many years since Usagi had last felt her blood boil the way it did now...and she felt desire build quickly within her.   
  
As soon as Usagi began to respond, Severus released the grip he had on the princess' arms and pulled her closer to him, Usagi brought her own arms beneath her captor's and dug her nails into his back.   
  
Within a few moments, Severus pulled his mouth from Usagi's, they stared into each other's eyes while still in a tightly locked embrace...tears were flowing down Usagi's face as she still quivered in both fear and passion. It was as if they were daring each other to go further...one trying to determine whether the other would consent or not...but Usagi did not make any more struggling moves...she was surrendering...willingly.   
  
Knowing he had received permission...even though he would've kept her here with him anyways, Severus reclaimed Usagi's lips, feeling her melt within his arms, she was his now...he had desired the silvery-haired woman since he had first lay eyes upon her...but was quickly turned off after her 'graceful' display while tripping walking up towards the staff table.  
  
Needless to say, Usagi was still the very same beautiful woman, and was now not sporting her childish manners, but rather being as a woman as though alone and full of passion for years.  
  
Usagi had never been in such a situation, therefore acting purely on instinct as opposed to logic, that told her to leave while she still had a chance...but the alcohol had faded all logic as she surrendered to a flame building stronger inside of her.  
  
She allowed herself a small squeak of pain as Severus' teeth sank into tender flesh near the base of her neck. She could feel a trail of hot liquid sear across her skin as it fell down the curve of her shoulder. She also felt the brisk, cold air cause goose bumps to appear when her gown slipped to the floor in a pile of midnight blue and purple. Her long silver-gold hair caused strange sensations as it brushed up against her now-bare form. She shivered, but cold once again turned to heat when pulled back into a warm embrace.   
  
Within moments, Usagi had soft silk sheets beneath her...if she had been in a logical thinking mode, she would've wondered what would've happened if she had chosen to corner the Potions Master in his office instead of his room...but no such thoughts were in the princess' mind as other matters were at hand.  
  
  
****  
  
Sun filtered into the small window, Usagi was only half conscious when cool air made her shiver, she had to bring her hands to her arms and bury herself deeper under the covers. Figuring it was probably time to get up to head off for breakfast, Usagi slowly opened her eyes...strangely it was darker than usual...  
  
Cerulean blue eyes shot open as she realized that she was not in her own room, she lifted the black covers and noticed that the reason she was so cold was because she was not wearing her pyjamas...or anything for that matter.  
  
"Kami-sama..." she breathed out loud, to noone in particular, which was followed by a long string of curses that would leave a New Yorker's ears burning for a week. Usagi noticed the empty bottle of wine laying on the desk near by, she tried to recall the previous night's activities...but could only remember bits and pieces since she was in a muddled state.   
  
A sharp flash of pain made Usagi instinctively bring a hand up to a bruise on her left arm...which caused her to notice other bruises on various places of her body as well. Then she noticed the thin line of dark red that trailed from the base of her neck down her shoulder, she made a mental note to hide that mark.   
  
Springing from the bed, she quickly dressed in the gown left on the floor and rushed out of the room, heading for her own, hoping that no one would notice her. Luckily she had made it back in record time, and put on her robes. Rushing back out from her room, she tied up her odangos faster than she had ever done while running towards the Great Hall for breakfast.   
  
Sitting in her seat, she earned several glances from staff members sitting closest to her...Usagi's face was completely flushed, but she put a smile on and turned to Professor McGonagall.  
  
"Slept in again, Minerva...I'm not one for mornings..." McGonagall gave Usagi a small smile, and returned her attention back to her own breakfast. The princess looked down at her food and felt her stomach churn in protest. For the first time in her life, Usagi did not feel like eating. Instead she only picked at her food during the whole meal time, and avoided eye contact with anyone while heading back to her own room.  
  
On the way, Hermione had rushed up to the princess, her face flushed.  
  
"How did it go?" Hermione inquired, Usagi stopped walking and turned towards the bushy-haired girl, and immediately burst into a fit of tears. Hermione froze, not knowing what to make out of the situation, and did not pursue as the princess rushed off.  
  
As soon as Usagi was safely inside her room away from any others, she collapsed on the floor near the window and allowed herself to sob over her worries.  
  
Guilt would've been the most highly detectable emotion at that moment. Considering it was her own fault for coming up with the wine and veritaserium, she was all the more willing to do what they had done. But it did not leave her with a pleasant feeling...on the contrary the previous night had made her more upset and depressed than when she had broken off the engagement to Mamoru.  
  
Mamoru.  
  
That caused another flurry of thoughts to race through Usagi's head. Absolutely *never* during their whole relationship, did he ever try to 'take advantage' of her...never. Usagi had always blamed it on his shyness and dark personality, but the wonder still lingered in her mind. Why was he so cold and distant? Even with her? Why did he always seem more comfortable and open with Chibi-Usa?  
  
But she had found out the answer, thanks to help from Dumbledore, she knew now why Mamoru had been that way...and the remembrance of the discovery made Usagi grow even colder...making her crying subside a little.   
  
She had also felt the emotion of lust and desire. Such strange physical sensations had she felt the previous night, her clouded memory still had fresh the fire that had grown inside of her...something that she had never experienced before, ever in her life.   
  
As much as she would've preferred to remain an innocent maiden, she was now a woman...and with that title came the sudden thoughts of what could've become from her nighttime encounter...worriedly Usagi brought a hand to her stomach...she could very well have conceived...she wished to Selene at that moment that she hadn't.  
  
She also felt fear...fear of what the Potions Master was thinking after waking up with the Headmistress in his arms...fear of what would've happened if he had waken her up in anger...she did owe an apology, but how she would deliver it, was not thinkable at that particular time.   
  
Usagi decided that she would not speak of what took place the previous night to anyone...and she would have to act as though nothing was any different then what it had been since she first came to Hogwarts...  
  
****  
  
By the evening meal, Usagi had reemerged from her room, and headed towards the Great Hall, again avoiding any eye contact. When she walked through the doors, she looked up towards the staff table, and to her relief, Severus was not looking at her...rather, he was in his own thoughts, occasionally giving a dark glare at a student here and there.  
  
The princess forced herself to eat that night, finally giving in to the pains her stomach caused her in protest to how disagreeable it was earlier. Noone seemed to have noticed her absence throughout the day, Usagi silently thanked Kami for not being asked.   
  
****  
  
She had hoped it wouldn't have happened...but her good luck that day was suddenly ruined as she was approached by the one she would've most wanted to avoid while heading back to her room. Severus had taken her by the arm, halting her immediately, but she would not turn around to face him as she usually did.   
  
"A strange thing happened to me...I woke up with you in my arms..." He began, his voice unusually calm.  
  
"I'm sorry", was all she could say, bitting her lower lip to prevent herself from crying. Severus forced the princess to turn, but her head was lowered towards the ground and her eyes were tightly shut and full of silent tears.   
  
"You drugged me with ver..."  
  
"You took it...and I did not know that everything that happened...would happen..."  
  
"Nevertheless..." But for the first time since their first argument, the Potions Master was speechless. He released his tight grip on Usagi's arms and turned to leave her alone in the corridor.   
  
As soon as his footsteps had faded completely, Usagi opened her eyes and wiped away the tears. She stood alone for several moments before returning to her own room, welcoming the comfort she received from falling immediately to sleep.  
  
****  
  
Nearly a month had passed since Halloween, the air had changed to the pre-winter cool, crisp air. Life at Hogwarts continued on as usual as it could be, until one afternoon while Usagi was leaving the Great Hall, the fire senshi had stopped her along the way.  
  
"Usagi-chan...a few students have asked for a special club to be restarted." She began with, just to catch the princess' full attention. Usagi stopped, and had a curious look fall across her features.  
  
"What club?" She asked.   
  
"It was a Dueling Club, that was started from a past DADA teacher...the students asked if you would allow the club, which didn't last very long, to start up again...considering it might be handy to have students gain the experience...it's also something I can't teach them, considering they can't learn the kind of magic that we use..." Rei had lowered her voice significantly adding the last part.  
  
"That's a good idea...considering I would like to know as much as possible while taking care of this school...alright...think you can handle it, Rei?" Usagi smirked when Rei's face flushed at the very thought of her not being able to organize a club.   
  
"Of course I can, Odango!" She replied with, and turned on heal mumbling incoherent things along the way to her own room. Harry, Ron and Hermione came out of the Great Hall not too long after Rei had left to meet up with their Headmistress.   
  
"Is something wrong?" Hermione quizzed, since Usagi seemed to be off in her own little world (which she was doing a lot lately). Usagi looked towards the bushy-haired Gryffindor and gave her a sunny smile.  
  
"No...actually, Re...Madam Hino approached me and suggested that the Dueling Club be re-started...what do you think?" The princess decided to let the word spread as soon as possible, that way interest among more experienced students would take the responsibility of actually *teaching* how to duel off of Rei, who did not have any experience with wizard dueling...as none of the senshi did.   
  
"Wow! That's bloody great!" Ron excitedly shouted, giving excited looks towards Harry who returned them. "And it'll be a lot better not having that ignorant git around to mess things up..." This caused a little laughter, a glare and a confused look all at the same time.   
  
"They are referring to a past DADA teacher...Professor Lockhart...who by the way is *not* an ignorant git..." Hermione informed, her glare darkening towards Ron, who colored. But moments later the bushy-haired girl turned her attention back to Usagi, and smiled. "Do you think we could have students from other schools be involved too?" She asked, remembering with a blush at her 'relationship' with a past Durmstrang student. Usagi nodded enthusiastically.  
  
"I like that idea...could you by any chance give me the names of the other school's Headmasters or Headmistress'?" The princess received looks of disbelief at this comment, she laughed nervously, "uh...never mind". With that, she excused herself and headed straight for the library to fetch Ami on the matter.  
  
****  
  
The school was buzzing with excitement in the air. Today would be the arrival of guest students from Beauxbaton and Durmstrang, afternoon classes had been excused (much to the students' delight), and many were waiting at the front entrance to catch a glimpse of the schools' unique transportation methods.  
  
Soon enough the massive carriage drawn by huge horses landed near by, the door swinging open for the Headmistress of Beauxbaton, Madam Maxime. She was quite a large woman (being half giant), dressed in yards of colorful fabric. Students followed after her as they made their way towards the front entrance of Hogwarts.  
  
"What are you students doing here?!?" Demanded Professor McGonagall, as she shooed off the curious students (mainly first years who had never met the foreign students the previous year). Madam Maxime approached the Deputy Headmistress, who held her large chin up at the sight.  
  
"Where iz Dumbleydore?" She asked, her french accent very thick.  
  
"He will not be here, other matters have kept him away, our new Headmistress is waiting for you in the Great Hall". McGonagall made a move to lead the way, but another figure walked in and gave Madam Maxime a regal bow.  
  
"Righ' there...I'll show the way..." Hagrid suggested, causing the Beauxbaton Headmistress to blush a bright red on her large cheeks.   
  
"I would be pleazed, 'Agrid", she said softly. The group of Beauxbaton followed along towards the Great Hall, which was buzzing noisily with students at the moment. Usagi stood in front of the staff table, nervously awaiting to make the welcoming. As soon as the princess spotted Madam Maxime, she approached slowly, trying to make good impressions.  
  
"Welcome...I am Madam Usagi Tsukino, this year's substitute Headmistress, I am pleased to make your acquaintance." Several moments of awkward silence followed as Madam Maxime looked Usagi over critically.  
  
"Very well, I zuzpect that you 'ave been informed by Dumbleydore of our vizit 'ere last year?"   
  
Usagi nodded in reply. Madam Maxime returned the nod, then found a seat at the staff table, while students made their own seating decisions. To the surprise of many, one student in particular rushed over immediately to the Gryffindor table.  
  
"'Arry! 'Arry Potter! I am zo glad to see you again!" The silvery-haired girl called out, rushing towards Harry with excitement. Recognition crossed everyone's faces at once.  
  
"Fleur Delacour!" He called out, waving, and motioning for her to sit next to them. She complied willingly. (AN: 'flower of the heart'...got to love that name ^-^) Fleur looked everyone over, refreshing her memory of who everyone was. Ron was blushing furiously when she gave him a wink.   
  
"Weren't you in Seventh year, last year?" Hermione asked, remembering that Fleur was in her seventh year the year previous.  
  
"Oui, c'est vrais. I was, but Beauxbaton go to eight yearz inztead of zeven like 'Ogwartz ztudents, it iz the same with Durmstrang, I do believe". And as if to prove her point, another loud buzzing of noise was made when the Durmstrang students made their entrance. Hermione quickly turned her head around to look for one student in particular. And when she saw him, it was almost as if she floated right out of her seat.  
  
Viktor Krum had spotted the bushy brown hair as well, and made his way over to the Gryffindor table, before Durmstrang's new Headmaster had even reached the staff table to introduce himself to Usagi.   
  
"Herm-oh-ninny!" He called out, causing the Gryffindor girl to give a wide grin at hearing the familiar mis-pronunciation.   
  
"Viktor! I didn't expect to see you!" She said in honest surprise. Several voices rose up in interest when the bushy-haired girl did something very un-Hermione like and stood on her tippy toes to give Krum a small peck on the cheek. Several girls around the room shot her daggers. "Come sit with us", she suggested, sitting across from Harry, Ron and Fleur.   
  
"It'll be nice to 'ave everyone together again, non?" Fleur asked, receiving several positive replies in return.   
  
"You have a new Headmaster", Harry mentioned, giving Ron a kick under the table when the red-head was glaring towards Hermione.   
  
"Yes, ve do, he isn't anything like Professor Kakaroff, but is very good replacement".   
  
"You're a good dueler, I suspect?" Hermione asked, her voice having become sappily sweet. Krum gave her a charming smile, which was rare on the Quidditch player's features.  
  
"I try, but I am not as good as Reinold". He admitted, looking towards a cold-looking student who was sitting with the Slytherin's. Next to Draco and Hotaru none-the-less. The violet-eyed girl had a dormant look to her face, since her boyfriend was paying no attention to her, and was drilling Reinold with several questions. Krum then turned to Harry.  
  
"Vatch out for him...he knows *many* curses."  
  
"Why? Is he a dark wizard-in-training?" Ron asked, the others looked at Krum with curiosity written all over their faces.  
  
"No...his father was a champion duelist in his day". Several sighs rang out at hearing this. Fleur looked up towards her other classmates, who were giving her strange looks, as most of them were sitting with Ravenclaw, but she ignored them, then turned towards Usagi.  
  
"Tu sais..." She began, changing the subject, "your 'eadmistress look very much like me", she said. All eyes looked from Usagi (who was laughing at something the Headmaster of Durmstrang had just said), to Fleur. "You suppose she iz related?"  
  
"With a name like Tsukino? She's Japanese", Ron said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Fleur shot him an annoyed look, then rose from her seat and headed over to the staff table. She placed her hands firmly on the table on the other side of Usagi, to gain the princess' attention. It worked.  
  
"Can...can I help you?" Usagi asked, Fleur rose a silvery eyebrow before beginning.  
  
"Madam 'Zukino, I waz wondering if 'ou might be related to the Delacours, by any chance?" Usagi looked quizzically towards Madam Maxime, who seemed to want to know the answer as well, before turning back to Fleur.  
  
"No, Miss Delacour, I'm not, not that I know of, anyways". Fleur nodded her head, but continued.  
  
"I just noticed, that 'ou and I look very much alike", she said matter-of-factly. Usagi studied Fleur a few moments before bursting out into giggles.  
  
"You're right...we do".  
  
"Then 'ou muzt be a decedent from a Veela".  
  
"A what?" Fleur looked at Usagi in disbelief.  
  
"You do not know what a Veela iz?" Usagi's lip twitched into a half smile. Fleur backed up from the table, motioning towards the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Well, then, 'ou must zit with us, zo I can explain". She offered. Usagi nodded happily, and complied, moving to sit with the small group of various students that was at the Gryffindor table.  
  
****  
  
The next day was the start of the dueling matches, which would take place in the Great Hall following a shortened last period. Usagi was walking along with Rei who would introduce the rules of the small tournament before the commencement.   
  
"You can't have a Yule Ball", Rei was scolding, "that was only for the Triwizard Tournament, and that only happens once every five years."  
  
"I can too, we have the other schools here, and besides, it's been quite a while since I've been at a school dance". Rei shot Usagi a glare at hearing this, but Usagi ignored her as they entered the Great Hall, all tables magically gone except one that sat right in the middle of the room. The stage for the dueling finalists.   
  
Within minutes, students rushed down towards the Great Hall (which seemed bigger with the absence of tables), and crowded around the stage, as Usagi and Rei stood atop of it, ready to begin.   
  
"Rei...I don't know how to do this", Usagi whispered suddenly into her friend's ear. The raven-haired woman turned and whispered her reply back.  
  
"Doesn't matter, I've already arranged for Durmstrang's Headmaster to begin instructions." After saying that Usagi rose an eyebrow in curiosity.  
  
"Oh really?" And as if to prove the point, Professor Klassen made his way up to the stage, he was quite young compared to his predecessor, not being any older than forty at the most, but he seemed to hold quite a rein of respect from his students none-the-less. Rei blushed when the Headmaster approached them.  
  
"Madam Tsukino" he nodded towards Usagi, then turned to Rei, "Madam Hino". Rei gave a sappy grin back, Usagi sniggered, then rose her hands towards the students, who quieted.  
  
"I would like to welcome all of our foreign visitors to Hogwarts, I know some of you were here last year, so you already know your way around. This Dueling Club is designed to help all of you learn how to protect yourselves if the need arises...and in light of what happened during last year's Triwizard Tournament..." (Usagi paused for a moment of silence, while soft murmurs rang out), "the need will probably be greater now". She then nodded towards Klassen, and accepted a student's hand to help her down from the stage.  
  
"First, I would like to introduce my assistant, Hogwart's Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Madam Hino", a ring of cheers rose out at this, "I am going to show you how to conduct a proper dueling match before all of you are paired off." Klassen and Rei approached each other, bowed, rose their wands, "this is the accepted combative position", he explained. Then he counted off and both of them cast their first spells. Klassen's was faster since he had the experience.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" Shouting this, Rei's wand was thrown out of her hand, as she was propelled back several feet. It took her a split second to regain her composure, her wand, and to cast a charm that caused Klassen to be frozen in place. Several students cheered at the sight of it, while Rei held a confident smirk on her face. She then approached Klassen and winked before calling out her next charm.  
  
"Finite Incantatem!" This caused Klassen to be un-frozen, ending the duel.   
  
"That went very quickly, as you all saw", he began, after regaining control over himself, "so let's pair all of you off". With that, Professor Klassen, Rei and Usagi along with other Hogwarts teachers began pairing random students off to begin the duels.  
  
****  
  
A few hours later, the Great Hall was full of noise from students having a lot of fun dueling with each other. After a while, the random duels were ordered to stop, as Professor Klassen asked two students at a time to get on the stage to duel in front of everyone else. Many students did well as others displayed their need for more practice. One student, however, was proving to be better than all the rest.   
  
Mirko Reinold was by far the most skilled duelist out of everyone. He was a fifth-year student which would've disallowed him from being able to enter the Triwizard Tournament the previous year. He also was considered very snotty and cold, but that really was only because he couldn't speak a word of English, thus preventing him from having a conversation with a Hogwarts student when he was paired with one. Finally it was his turn to get on the stage. Klassen held a list with student's names on it and picked one randomly as he did with all the others.  
  
"Hotaru Tsukino". Several gasps rose out, the loudest from Usagi at hearing this. Hotaru didn't know what to make of it, as Usagi approached her.  
  
"You don't know how to duel", Usagi hissed as so noone else could hear.  
  
"I didn't sign up", she insisted, but was pulled onto stage by other students, Mirko waiting impatiently. Usagi narrowed her eyes, then grabbed the arm of the one she knew had something to do with it.  
  
"Draco Malfoy, you signed Hotaru up, didn't you?" She accused, Draco held an innocent look on his face.   
  
"Yeah, don't worry, I gave her a few ideas..."  
  
"I don't care!" Usagi was about to take several points off of Slytherin just for the annoyance, but was interrupted when the duel on the stage began. Mirko had begun with a disarming spell right away, everyone knew that he would most likely be the victor, since Hotaru was obviously very inexperienced. But she was getting annoyed. And Usagi knew it.  
  
"Hotaru!" She called out, gaining her daughter's attention. "End it quickly", she warned. Hotaru nodded, then turned a glare towards Mirko, who was starting his next spell.  
  
"Stupefy!" She yelled out, purple light began glowing around her as a purple stream slammed into Mirko, sending him flying across the Great Hall and into the wall by the doorway. Everyone looked from Hotaru in disbelief to Mirko in worry, as blood trickled down his forehead.   
  
That ended the dueling match.   
  
****  
  
Usagi walked at a fast pace through the corridor to see how Mirko was doing since he had been admitted in the infirmary. She was all alone at the moment, until she was stopped. She made a loud noise of protest at the sight of him  
  
"Not now, I don't want to argue, I want to go see Mirko..." But Severus was paying no attention to what she was saying. His lip curled.  
  
"Quite an impressive display from your daughter", he commented suspiciously.  
  
"Yes it was...now excuse me", she moved to continue on her way, but Severus took her arm before she could.   
  
"In that case, I challenge you to a duel", he suggested, making Usagi freeze in place. She turned around and shook her head.  
  
"I don't think so".  
  
"May I remind you, Madam Tsukino, that you do not refuse a challenge." Usagi sighed after hearing this.  
  
"Well, I would, but I don't know how to duel." This caused several moments of silence as Severus looked at Usagi in disbelief.   
  
"But your daughter..."  
  
"She didn't learn it from me, I assure you." Severus released his grip on Usagi's arm and remained in a thoughtful manner for a moment.  
  
"That's terribly pitiful that the Headmistress of Hogwarts does not know how to duel...I suppose I will be lowered as to teach you how? It might save you more embarrassment then you've already caused yourself...if that's possible", he smirked after making the last comment, but Usagi's eyebrows were raised.  
  
"You'd actually become my tutor again?" She asked in wonderment. Severus nodded irritably. Usagi broke out into a smile.  
"When do you want to arrange the lessons for?" She asked, Severus took her arm again and led her in a different direction.  
  
"As soon as possible...knowing how you are a delayed learner." Usagi glared daggers for that comment, but followed along.  
  
****  
  
Mirko Reinold woke up with a painful throbbing in his head. He brought his hand to the large white bandage that was wrapped around the wound on his forehead. Things were fuzzy for a few moments, noticing that he was in the Hospital wing at Hogwarts, but then remembered how he got here and why.   
  
Hotaru Tsukino.  
  
He said the name in his head several times before realizing that he was actually beaten for the first time in his life. By a girl none-the-less. By a very beautiful girl. A beautiful girl that was with an unworthy Hogwarts student. But he could change that, and have her for his own. Remembering being told about the blue-haired woman that had found his school letter one August morning, Mirko decided to leave the Hospital wing and head down to the library where he knew she was working. He requested directions on the way, but received odd looks in return.  
  
Ami was sitting at her desk when Mirko walked in, she looked up in surprise.  
  
"Hallo! Ich heisse Mirko Reinhold." He began, Ami knew German so she wasn't at a loss.  
  
"Oh! Du bist doch der Junge, üüber den die ganze Schule spricht." She said, realizing he was the duelist that was beaten by Hotaru.  
  
"Ja, ich war schon immer gut im Duellieren. Ich mache es schon seit Jahren. Du bist doch das Määdchen, dass den Brief zu mir nach Haus gebracht hat, oder?" He asked, confirming that she was indeed the woman who delivered his letter.  
  
"Ja, das war ich." Ami said, nodding.  
  
"Ich habe gehofft, das du mir vielleicht hilfst, Englisch zu lernen. Ich verstehe fast nichts, seit ich hier angekommen bin." He requested.  
  
"Klar! Wann mööchtest du anfangen?" She asked, putting the book she had open away.  
"Wie wäär ´s mit jetzt?" He suggested.  
  
****  
  
Mirko turned out to be an intelligent student, and by the end of the evening, he knew enough English to say a few full lines. By the end of the week, he knew enough to hold a conversation, even though it was choppy.   
  
As soon as he had the opportunity, he had cornered Draco while he was alone, with Hotaru, which was rare now a days.   
  
"I wish challenge you", Mirko said, hoping he was making sense. Draco eyed him as if he had just uttered a death threat.   
  
"Why?" He demanded.  
  
"For girl", Mirko said, motioning towards Hotaru.  
  
****  
AN: gomen, for not getting this out earlier...my life sux, though...er...  
  
I wouldn't blame any of you, if you didn't like this anymore...it has taken quite a twist of events...  
  
There was German used in there, BIG ARIGATOU to Talyara-chan for doing the translations for me, here are the English meanings, though:  
  
Mirko:   
Hello...my name's Mirko Rienold   
Hallo! Ich heisse Mirko Reinhold.  
Ami:   
Oh! You're the boy that's been the talk of the school.   
Oh! Du bist doch der Junge, üüber den die ganze Schule spricht.  
Mirko:   
Yes, I've always been good at dueling...I've been doing it for years. You're the one that brought my letter to my house, right?   
Ja, ich war schon immer gut im Duellieren. Ich mache es schon seit Jahren. Du bist doch das Määdchen, dass den Brief zu mir nach Haus gebracht hat, oder?  
Ami:   
That was me.   
Ja, das war ich.  
Mirko:   
I was hoping you would agree to teaching me how to speak English, since I've been so lost while I've been here.   
Ich habe gehofft, das du mir vielleicht hilfst, Englisch zu lernen. Ich verstehe fast nichts, seit ich hier angekommen bin.  
Ami:   
Certainly! When did you wish to begin?   
Klar! Wann mööchtest du anfangen?  
Mirko:   
Now?   
Wie wäär ´s mit jetzt? 


	7. Oh, for the love of Hotaru!

****Disclaimer: Help! I need a new cardboard box! I don't own anything...~wahhhh~  
  
****Author's Note: Eep....surprise! I warned you all, didn't I??   
  
Haruka-hime: I'm going to reveal some secrets in this chapter that should put a light on things ^-^  
  
Adyen: he's not as good as Mirko, but he'll have some help from someone ...  
  
Usagi Asia Maxwell: Gomen, gomen!!! I'm soooo sorry, but for this fic, I'm going to be pairing Sirius with Makoto for good reason...which will be revealed later on....I might consider doing a Sirius/Usa fic sometime in the future...since I like Sirius too, but I dunno...  
  
alexz: she does...hehehehe...but they can't all have her, ne?  
  
sapphirekisses: you prefer the good boys, ne??  
  
The Sovereign of Selenity: gomen...but that's why I put the warning in there ^-^ Hotaru is very appealing to young men...she's got beauty and power...and lots of it!! And hai, very scary...that scene was actually formed from real life experiences (my own).  
  
Timbo Gurl: those peeps are what I call "die-hard shippers"...I know what you mean, though ^-^  
  
Like I mentioned above, the "Scene" from the last chapter was actually derived from my own experiences...people, keep in mind what can happen when you take too much alcohol...I'm actually quite a drinker, and I drive as well...you can do little tricks to help you out in those situations, (trust me, I do not think right when I'm drunk...I'm a little clown, similar to what happened to Usa at that party mentioned in the previous chapter.) Sometimes I ask someone to hide my keys, or I'll arrange to have a designated driver take me home, etc...also, for the Ladies, stay away from drunken boys if they fancy you, I had to learn that the hard way...and so did one of my closest friends, who was actually kissed by the father of the child she was babysitting when he came home from his party...~shudders~ very gross, and she does not like to be reminded of that night....neways, onto the fic...  
  
****  
  
~Last time:  
  
Mirko Reinold woke up with a painful throbbing in his head. He brought his hand to the large white bandage that was wrapped around the wound on his forehead. Things were fuzzy for a few moments, noticing that he was in the Hospital wing at Hogwarts, but then remembered how he got here and why.   
  
Hotaru Tsukino.  
  
He said the name in his head several times before realizing that he was actually beaten for the first time in his life. By a girl none-the-less. By a very beautiful girl. A beautiful girl that was with an unworthy Hogwarts student. But he could change that, and have her for his own. Remembering being told about the blue-haired woman that had found his school letter one August morning, Mirko decided to leave the Hospital wing and head down to the library where he knew she was working. He requested directions on the way, but received odd looks in return.  
  
Ami was sitting at her desk when Mirko walked in, she looked up in surprise.  
  
"Hallo! Ich heisse Mirko Reinhold." He began, Ami knew German so she wasn't at a loss.  
  
"Oh! Du bist doch der Junge, üüüüber den die ganze Schule spricht." She said, realizing he was the duelist that was beaten by Hotaru.  
  
"Ja, ich war schon immer gut im Duellieren. Ich mache es schon seit Jahren. Du bist doch das Määdchen, dass den Brief zu mir nach Haus gebracht hat, oder?" He asked, confirming that she was indeed the woman who delivered his letter.  
  
"Ja, das war ich." Ami said, nodding.  
  
"Ich habe gehofft, das du mir vielleicht hilfst, Englisch zu lernen. Ich verstehe fast nichts, seit ich hier angekommen bin." He requested.  
  
"Klar! Wann mööchtest du anfangen?" She asked, putting the book she had open away.  
  
"Wie wäär ´s mit jetzt?" He suggested.  
  
****  
  
Mirko turned out to be an intelligent student, and by the end of the evening, he knew enough English to say a few full lines. By the end of the week, he knew enough to hold a conversation, even though it was choppy.   
  
As soon as he had the opportunity, he had cornered Draco while he was alone, with Hotaru, which was rare now a days.   
  
"I wish challenge you", Mirko said, hoping he was making sense. Draco eyed him as if he had just uttered a death threat.   
  
"Why?" He demanded.  
  
"For girl", Mirko said, motioning towards Hotaru.  
  
~Present  
  
Draco's eyes widened to the size of saucers. It was almost like a death threat, but instead of being directed at him, the one at stake was his girlfriend.   
  
"Girl go to Yule Ball with one who win duel?" Mirko suggested, he received a dark glare from Draco in return.   
  
"You're on", he growled. Hotaru backed away from both of the boys at hearing this.  
"Excuse me!" She yelled out in a non-Hotaru-like fashion. "I'm not an object to be passed back and forth!" She looked horrified, Draco turned to her and smirked.  
  
"Don't worry about anything, I'll beat Reinold...no problem". But Draco's comment wasn't very convincing, Hotaru knew better.  
  
"We duel in half an hour, nein?" Mirko suggested, his eyes narrowed towards his rivals.   
  
"See you there...if you think you can show up", Draco spat, then turned to take Hotaru back to their Common Room, but when he went to reach for her, she had disappeared down the corridor.  
  
****  
  
Usagi was practicing some new curses, aimed at Peeves the poltergeist, while she and Severus were in the staff room. Luckily for her, the poltergeist enjoyed to bother her, so when he decided to follow her and the Potions Master along for her dueling lessons, the princess decided to get a little sporty revenge and aimed several spells at Peeves.  
  
"Shouldn't spy on people, Peeves, it's rude", Usagi said in between giggles of delight. Severus stood nearby, silent, with his arms crossed across his chest, and an expressionless face. As soon as Peeves managed to dodge a charm, he made a run for it by phasing through the nearest wall. Usagi lowered her wand and turned towards Severus, smiles all over her face.   
  
"That was a fun one...how about something totally different now?" She asked. Severus smirked, then approached Usagi, raising his wand up slightly.  
  
"You should learn effective disarming spells, ones that will render your enemy unconscious...I still don't see how it's possible that you don't know any of these", Severus added suddenly, raising an eyebrow towards the princess.  
  
"Oh, the magic that I'm an expert in, doesn't help me in wizard duels..." Usagi cut herself off, she tended to give away too much, the secrets that she kept were becoming very difficult to keep.  
  
"Then what kind of magic is it?" He questioned silkily, ready to persuade the interesting information out of her. Usagi opened her mouth to speak, but they were suddenly interrupted when someone else burst through the staff room door.  
  
"Okaasan!" Hotaru called out desperately. Her face was flushed and tear-streaked. The violet-eyed girl rushed forward, throwing herself into Usagi's arms. Usagi gave a surprised look towards Severus before returning her attention to her foster daughter.  
  
"Hotaru?" Usagi asked, voice full of worry. Hotaru looked up at her, and rubbed tears out of her eyes.  
  
"It's...it's...Draco!" She forced out, followed by more sounds of sobbing.   
  
"What's going on?" Severus barked out, getting rather annoyed at the loud noise Hotaru was causing. Usagi tightened her arms around Hotaru and gave an angered look towards the Potions Master.  
  
"Don't talk to my daughter like that!" She yelled out. Severus narrowed his eyes at the princess.  
  
"Don't forget that your daughter is also *my* student, and both her and Malfoy are in *my* house". Both continued arguing for several more moments before another comment made by Hotaru's voice broke into the commotion again.  
  
"Dueling...match", she sniffled. Usagi returned her attention to her foster daughter.  
  
"What's going on?" she demanded in rather the same fashion used by the Potions Master. Usagi wiped the stray tears from Hotaru's face, frowning slightly at the wet spot on her robes. Hotaru allowed herself a few calming breaths before continuing.  
  
"That...that German boy, Mirko Reinold, challenged Draco to a match....over me!" She said. Usagi's eyes widened. Hotaru gave a pleading look at Usagi. "You have to help Draco win...please". She asked, her voice having become a whisper.  
  
"Hotaru, you know I can't help a student cheat..."  
  
"Why not? You'd do it for Potter", Severus cut in, earning a glare from the princess.   
  
"When's the match?" Usagi asked.  
  
"In a few minutes", Hotaru answered.   
  
"I'll see what I can do...but no promises", and with that, Usagi sent Hotaru off and out of the room. The princess turned towards the Potions Master, "any ideas?" She asked, Severus didn't hesitate his next comment.  
  
"Why don't you teach him some of that special magic of yours?" He suggested with a sneer. But Usagi didn't take it as a shot at her, her face lit up like a lightbulb had been turned on inside her head.   
  
"I've got to go to Rei's classroom, I'll see you in the Great Hall", she said and promptly rushed off.  
****  
  
A large crowd gathered in the Great Hall, everyone fighting to get closest to the single dueling stage in the center. Naturally, within minutes the whole school knew about the match, and wanted to watch. Mirko was standing on the stage, pacing around impatiently for the arrival of Draco, who seemed to have mysteriously disappeared when Usagi came to speak to him.   
  
The noise of the student population suddenly rose when the other duelist along side of the Hogwarts Headmistress walked into the Great Hall. As Usagi passed Severus, she gave him a smirk, before returning her attention towards the parting crowd ahead of her. Before Draco got up onto the stage, she whispered a few words in his ear, causing his lip to curl. Usagi then stood next to Hotaru, with her arms around her daughter's in a comforting manner.   
  
Professor Klassen got up onto the stage and rose his hands to silence the crowd. It worked. He smiled broadly, and looked between Mirko and Draco.  
  
"Alright boys, keep the blood level down to a minimum, ja?" He said, causing laughter to ring out through the Great Hall. Usagi could feel Hotaru tense under her finger tips, she gave her daughter a little squeeze. "First one to knock the other unconscious vins", Klassen continued, then let himself off the stage.   
  
Mirko and Draco approached the other, nothing but absolute loathing in each other's eyes. They each gave a short nod of the head, both never taking the eyes off the other, then rose their wands, and walked away to their own side of the stage.   
  
Draco didn't wait for three, he spun around and cast the first spell, causing Mirko to get knocked off his feet. The German boy cursed loudly, then rose up and cast his own spell before he even stood up completely. This spell caused Draco to double over, gasping for air. He managed to call out his own counter curse through gasping breaths, causing himself to regain his breathing, and Mirko to take on his own spell.   
  
This didn't last long, however, Mirko cured himself (much to everyone's surprise), and yelled out a more powerful curse towards Draco, who was knocked out, falling back and hitting his head, hard, on the stage. A loud gasp rang out throughout the Great Hall, everyone straining to see if they could catch a glimpse of whether Draco was alright or not. Several moments passed while Draco lay unmoving. Hotaru moved to rush to her boyfriend's side, but Usagi held her back.  
  
"Just wait", she whispered forcefully. Professor Klassen was ready to announce the duel was over, but Mirko held his hand up to stop him. The German boy had a look of triumph written all over his face, he moved to stand over Draco, to see whether he was unconscious or not.  
  
SMACK!  
  
Draco was not unconscious, on the contrary, he was now propped up on one elbow, while the other arm was stretched out. One of Rei's charms on the tip of his fingers, pressing the charm to Mirko's forehead. Mirko was frozen solid, he fell over, totally unconscious. Draco stood up and gave a mock bow towards his adversary.   
  
A roar of cheering soon followed. Professor Klassen announced the victory. Usagi smiled, and let Hotaru rush to give Draco a hug (who got off the stage at this point). The couple walked back over to Usagi.  
  
"Thanks", Draco said with sincerity to Usagi, who nodded her head, full of smiles.   
  
"Thank you so much, Okaasan!" Hotaru said. The happy occasion was interrupted, however, when a loud screech rose over everyone else's voice.  
  
"ODANGO!!" Rei rushed towards Usagi.  
  
"Uh oh..." Usagi said, her eyes wide with fear.  
  
****  
  
It came to another Hogsmeade weekend, that same weekend that the duel happened. All the students were electrified with pure excitement, especially since the foreign students would be joining them to Hogsmeade. Usagi had sent off her owl to deliver a note to Sirius and Lupin telling them of the visiting opportunity. She would go to get them and bring them back to the castle, since most students were not there, it would be quiet.  
  
Usagi had instructed Makoto and Ami to wait in the staff room, until she would come back with the two men. Rei and Professor Klassen were also staying, while Minako and Wood(Oliver Wood had come for a visit) went along with some Gryffindor students, (including the Weasley twins).  
  
Usagi collected two large cloaks from a cupboard in the staff room, before heading off with Harry, Ron and Hermione to Hogsmeade. They didn't know what was going on until Usagi informed them where she was going.  
  
"Aw...Madam Tsukino, couldn't we come back to the school as well?" Harry asked, wanting very much to visit his godfather. Usagi gave him a warm smile.  
  
"You'll have plenty of chances...this is an 'Adults Only', visit, alright?" She said, patting him on the back. Harry hesitated a few moments before smiling back.  
  
"Alright, see you later!" He called out, while he, Ron and Hermione rushed off to find their foreign friends.  
  
It took only a few minutes for Usagi to reach the Shrieking Shack. She had decided it was better to go with the students arriving as to not look too suspicious.   
  
As promised, Sirius and Lupin were waiting inside, and both donned grins when Usagi arrived. She playfully tossed the cloaks to them and motioned for them to get going.   
  
"You have two beautiful ladies waiting for you back at the castle", she teased as they walked along the streets of Hogsmeade, "Makoto even snuck into the kitchens to prepare some of her most famous foods". Usagi drooled at the thought.   
  
Before long they were in Hogwarts, and making their way to the staff room. Usagi made sure the coast was clear around every corner along the way, but no one seemed to pay any attention to them. Usagi stopped right before they got to the door, allowing herself a deep breath in of the pleasant aromas wafting out of the room. She then opened the door and allowed everyone in. Makoto and Ami blushed a furious pink. Sirius and Lupin both pulled off their cloaks, and remained silent for a few moments. Professor Klassen slowly moved forward, and offered his hand to Sirius, who took it.  
  
"I am Professor Josef Klassen, the new Headmaster at Durmstrang". He introduced himself, "Professor Dumbledore told me much about you, and I vant you to know, I vill trust you". He added. Sirius nodded thankfully in reply. Professor Klassen then shook Lupin's hand as well.   
  
"Well, something smells good!" Usagi loudly interrupted, rushing over to the table holding various treats, everyone laughed, and also indulged themselves.  
  
"You know, some of the students asked me about working with Boggarts...but I don't know the first thing about what they are", Rei said, "perhaps you can show us a few things, Professor Lupin?" She asked, Lupin smiled and waved his hand.  
  
"No need for formalities...my name's Remus...and I'd be happy to show you a few things...all we need is to catch a Boggart".   
  
"No problem", Usagi intervened, "there's one in the closet over there...I could tell because when I opened the closet this strange looking creature made a move to scare me...but I closed the door to keep it trapped".   
  
"That will do just fine", Lupin said, and headed over to the closet.  
  
Another person just entered the staff room, everyone froze for several moments, but the tension eased, when Professor McGonagall smiled towards Sirius and Lupin, then walked over to Usagi.  
  
"Madam Tsukino, I'm afraid that there is a problem in the kitchens..." She started. Usagi moved to exit the room.  
  
"Thanks, Minerva, excuse me everyone, I'll be back in a few minutes". Usagi exited, with McGonagall on her heals.  
  
****  
  
Professor Snape had heard briefly from McGonagall that Sirius Black and Remus Lupin were in the castle. This news did not please him (even though McGonagall didn't seem to mind at all), he had requested to see the Headmistress and have it out with her, he was directed to the staff room, where the Headmistress would no doubt be.   
  
Before reaching the door to the staff room, he paused, and could hear loud laughter, Severus gritted his teeth and burst through the door.  
  
"Black!" He roared into the laughter, making everyone stop and turn towards him. The Boggart that was switching forms to suit those in the room, saw its opportunity and moved towards Severus.   
  
CRACK.  
  
A loud ring of gasps went out, followed immediately by silence. Severus stood the most still, his eyes wide. The Boggart had taken the form of Usagi herself, dressed in the midnight blue dress with her hair loose and about. The Boggart seemed to have gotten itself very confused, looking at itself. With another crack, it wore itself right out.   
  
The silence was broken suddenly, when Usagi entered the room, she looked at everyone in puzzlement, then her eyes rested on Severus.  
  
"Minerva told me you were looking for me", she said, breaking the silence. The Potions Master seemed to shake himself out of his shock and turned towards the princess, his facial expressions displaying anger.  
  
"What are you doing letting that fugitive in this school?" He demanded, "you're endangering the students!"  
  
"I am not!" Usagi countered, "he's guilty of no crime, and he's just visiting, so I don't see what the problem is".   
  
"Oh, you don't?! And what are all of you doing playing around with a Boggart? This isn't a lesson!"  
  
"Yes it is...sort of...we can take this outside!" Usagi suggested abruptly, motioning for the both of them to exit the room. Severus complied, they lowered their voices to a fierce whisper, but anyone who walked by would've been able to hear them  
A few minutes later, Usagi, her face flushed, reentered the staff room, forcing a smile on her face.  
  
"Well...that was interesting", she commented dryly. Everyone else were still in shock.  
  
"Usagi..." Sirius started, "that Boggart became *you*". He said. Usagi rose an eyebrow.  
  
"Excuse me?" She said.  
  
"That Boggart...when it faced Snape, it turned into you...he's afraid of you? Since when?" Rei added, crossing her arms across her chest. Usagi waved her hands.  
  
"Oh no, he's not afraid of *me*". She said casually.   
  
"I'm afraid we don't understand". Ami said quietly, making a face that indicated her curiosity.  
  
"It's not me, it's what I could do to him...and I'm not even talking about my powers, I'm talking about the fact that he's been a cold loner since he was a kid".   
  
"Oh, I understand now", Makoto cut in, "you could melt even the coldest heart", she added.  
  
"Exactly, therefore he's afraid of letting me *in*, if you catch my meaning". Everyone did. Usagi headed back towards the food table, then turned around. "So...what'd I miss?"   
  
Everyone sweatdropped.  
  
****  
  
When it was nearly time for all the students to arrive back to the school, when everyone in the staff room bid their goodbyes. Usagi would escort Sirius and Lupin back to the Shrieking Shack, alike when she went to fetch them. Just before they left the room, Makoto requested to speak with Sirius alone for a minute before they'd go. The two moved towards the back of the room.  
  
"I don't have any blood relatives that I visit during the holidays, the only people I ever spend any of that time with is Usa-chan and the others. Usagi told me that Harry stays here for the holidays, I was wondering if maybe you and him would like to stay with me, in Tokyo?" Makoto asked, her face quite serious and quite hopeful.  
  
"You're serious?" Sirius asked, Makoto nodded vigorously, Sirius's face broke into a wide smile.  
  
"I'd love to...but you'll have to ask Harry, and Usagi for permission." Makoto smiled.  
"Alright, I'll let you know by owl mail, alright?"  
  
"Sure, use Usagi's owl, it knows how to find us real easy". Sirius made a move to leave, but Makoto grabbed his arm, and gave him a peck on the cheek.  
  
"See you later", she said, blushing, but letting him go. Sirius gave her a charming smile before donning his ragged cloak and following Lupin and Usagi out of the room.  
  
****  
  
"Are you serious?!? That would be so COOL!" Harry exclaimed, hugging Makoto. "Me, you and Sirius? Could we practice on our brooms at all?" He asked. Makoto laughed.  
  
"Well, we'll have to find a secluded spot, but that sounds alright to me". Harry gave another cheer of excitement. Spending the holidays with his godfather and fellow seeker would be quite the time. Ron had already informed him that he would be going home for the holidays, and Hermione always went home. The foreign students would be leaving too, come the holidays.   
  
Makoto waved and left the Gryffindor Common Room, allowing the students to talk amongst themselves. Ron, seeing that Makoto left, rushed up to Harry and asked for information.  
  
"Guess what?" Harry said, his voice full of excitement, "Makoto's letting me and Sirius stay with her for the holidays...in Japan! Isn't that cool?"  
  
"Bloody exciting, I'd think, maybe I could even travel with Floo powder to visit?" Ron suggested, he and Harry both nodded to each other enthusiastically. Hermione decided to make her entrance at that point in time.  
  
"Hey, what's going on?" She asked, and was informed with a rush of words. She then decided to change the subject. "Have either of you asked any girls to the dance yet?" She asked, "Viktor asked me way back when they first got here. Harry and Ron turned scarlet.  
  
"No...I forgot about that...why d'you suppose Madam Tsukino had to up and arrange us having the Yule Ball again?" Ron whined.  
  
"I don't know, maybe you could ask Fleur to go with you?" Harry asked, "you'd have a better chance at her this year, than you did last year." Ron's eyes sparkled at that thought. He hurried to rush off to find her. Harry than thought of his choices to himself. He wouldn't ask Parvati again, not after the disinterest she had in him last year. He could try Cho again, and with that thought, he raced after Ron, leaving Hermione to shake her head in ill-amusement.  
  
****  
  
The Yule Ball was fast approaching, and Harry wasn't having much luck with asking girls to be his date. He tried Cho, but she again was taken, and she again had given him the sympathetic look. His first choice would've been Hotaru Tsukino, but she was obviously going with Draco Malfoy, since the whole display with the match between him and Mirko Reinold.  
  
Ron had asked Fleur DelaCour, but she was already going with Mirko, who had approached her soon after his defeat in the match. Fleur did the next best thing, though, and set Ron up with one of her friends, a girl by the name of Celest Etoile, who was also quite pretty. Harry, however, had no such luck.   
  
Taking the large box sitting under his bed, he headed out of the Gryffindor Tower and went towards the library, where he usually found Hotaru (who liked to talk to her mother's friend, Madam Mizuno). Hopefully Malfoy wouldn't be with her.  
  
Luckily for him, he wasn't, Hotaru was sitting at a table all by herself, reading a book. She looked up with a small smile when she noticed Harry approaching her. He sat the box in front of her.  
  
"Hi..." he said shyly.  
  
"Hi...what's this?" Hotaru asked.  
  
"Your Christmas present, I wanted to give it to you early". He said. Hotaru rose an eyebrow, but opened the box and gasped at the sight. She stood up and pulled out a deep violet robe with silver trimming, and held it up to herself. "Your mother said you didn't have one", he added. Hotaru smiled appreciatively.  
  
"Thank you so much...you know, if I wasn't going with Draco..." Harry nodded.  
  
"I know".  
  
"Wait..." Hotaru put the robe back into the box. "I'll give you the first dance", she said. Harry smiled and nodded.  
  
"Alright...I'll see you later", he then turned and exited the library. He stopped in his tracks when he recalled his dancing skills from the previous year. 'I don't know how to dance', he thought to himself. He then had another idea, of who he could ask to be his date. Harry rushed off down the corridor.  
  
****  
  
Usagi laughed in delight.   
  
"I think that has to be the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me", she said. Harry had decided to ask Usagi to be her escort to the Yule Ball, she readily agreed.  
  
"I have one problem, though", Harry suddenly added. "I can't dance...I don't suppose you could teach me how?" He asked.   
  
"Of course I can! And I can teach anyone else who wants to learn as well."  
  
"Great, I'll go get Ron". Harry moved to rush out of Usagi's office.  
  
"Wait...meet me in the Entrance Hall, it's a nice open space", she suggested. Harry nodded, then continued on his way.  
  
****  
  
Draco had not been very impressed when he learned of Harry's gift to Hotaru, and to the fact that she would give him the first dance. The Yule ball was the next day's eve, and fast approaching. It was also brought to his attention, that the top duelist in all the schools had not yet been declared. Draco did beat Mirko Reinold, who was before unbeatable. But the fact that Hotaru had beaten Mirko as well was still known. Therefore, a final duel would be held between Draco and Hotaru to determine the overall winner.  
  
Draco was furious. He didn't want to duel Hotaru, his girlfriend, he didn't want to beat her. But he also didn't want her fawning over Harry Potter either. He had given her quite an expensive gift, and Draco had not yet picked one out to his satisfaction for her yet.   
  
Thinking this over for a few minutes, he finally came to a decision, he had an idea of what kind of present he could give her, to prove that she was his, and his alone...  
  
****  
  
The dueling stage was set up for the final time, the Yule Ball would take place within a few hours after the final match. All students were crowded in the Great Hall once again. Hotaru and Draco faced each other atop the stage, while Professor Klassen lay out the rules again. Violet eyes stared into grey ones, both had unreadable expressions on their faces, not knowing of what to make of their awkward situation.   
  
The duel had begun, and both duelist used only minor curses, as to not hurt the other. Hotaru knew she'd win, without question, there was no way in which Draco would be able to beat the power of Saturn. But when she cast another simple spell, Draco didn't counter it, or defend himself against it. He lowered his wand and let the spell knock him out.  
  
Everyone gasped.  
Hotaru rushed towards Draco, feeling both anger and worry. He was indeed unconscious. She had won.  
  
Professor Klassen moved to revive Draco, announcing that Hotaru was the Champion Duelist. But she didn't care. Hotaru let herself off stage, and rushed out of the Great Hall in tears.  
  
****  
  
Usagi rushed out after her daughter, full of worry. And with legs conditioned by years of being chased by youma, it didn't take long before Usagi caught up with Hotaru. The violet-eyed girl was huddled in a corner, crying, she looked up with watery eyes when she saw Usagi.  
  
"What's the matter?" Usagi asked, "You won", she added. Hotaru took a few deep breaths to calm herself.  
  
"I know, but he *let* me win, without challenge".   
  
"Yes, that was pretty obvious", Usagi muttered. Hotaru heard, and bit her lower lip.  
  
"But why? Just to embarrass me? I could've won without his help".  
  
"Yes, but he doesn't know that", Usagi said. Things made sense now, after seeing the beautiful gift from Harry, Usagi could figure out for herself, why Draco had just made a ridiculous display of himself in the Great Hall. "He wanted to lose that way on purpose", she added. Hotaru looked up at her.  
  
"I don't understand".  
  
"It's actually rather simple. Draco probably wanted to find a better gift to give you than what Harry gave you...and young men are very, very prideful...especially young men who were raised like Draco was. So by humiliating himself, he is showing you how much he cares about you." This caused Hotaru to stop crying all together.  
  
"I never thought of it that way". She said.  
  
"Well, you just reacted normally, so why don't you go to him, alright?" Usagi suggested. Hotaru stood up and hugged her mother.  
  
"Arigatou, Okaasan", she said, then rushed off back towards the Great Hall.  
  
****  
  
The rest of that afternoon was spent setting up for the Yule Ball. Ami was channeling some of her magic through her wand, and was creating beautiful ice sculptures. This thrilled the students from Beauxbaton.   
  
Students were busy dressing in their mutli-colored robes, getting ready for the dance.   
  
When the meal was about to begin, people filed into the Great Hall, couples arm-in-arm. When Harry walked in with Usagi on his arm, this created a lot of noise. Especially since that particular week was the full moon, and since it was now evening, and Usagi was in her white backless dress, her huge white feathered wings sat comfortable folded on her back.   
  
Draco and Hotaru came in arm-in-arm, he dressed in black, and she in the violet that Harry had given her. The couple headed up towards Usagi and Harry, Hotaru full of smiles, and Draco with a sneer, he and Harry glared towards each other.  
  
"Okaasan, do that special thing, please?" Hotaru begged cutely. Usagi smiled and nodded, she stretched out her wings and gave them a few flaps, emitting glitter from them, that floated around the room, causing students to notice with loud ooo's and ahhh's.   
  
At the head table, Harry sat next to Usagi, while Hotaru was on her other side, next to her being Draco. Also Mirko and Fleur sat not to far away, since Mirko was also a finalist. The food was served up, everyone having their choice off of a menu sitting next to their plate. Usagi easily had the most food out of everyone, she kept tapping her plate with her ebony wand, ordering up more food. She received odd looks from other people.   
  
"Wha..?" She said innocently, with her mouth full of food.  
  
When the meal was done, Professor Klassen rose from his seat, and headed over towards Usagi, offering out his hand.  
  
"I suppose I should ask for the evenings' first dance?" He asked full of charm. Usagi giggled and took his hand, they moved towards the middle of the room, the tables having magically been moved.  
  
The music started up, and Usagi and Josef began dancing away, everyone marveling at how good of a dancer Usagi was. Her skirts billowed out, and more glitter emitted out of her wings, while the wind blew through them.   
  
Seeing this as his cue, Harry requested Hotaru's hand, and she accepted (giving Draco a warning glance when he made a move of protest). They two danced quite well, thanks to Harry's recent lessons.   
  
Soon others were dancing, Ron impressing his french date with his new skills, Hermione and Viktor dancing not too far off. Harry and Usagi had a few dances, before she excused herself from the room.  
  
She knew who she was looking for. The only face that she hadn't seen all day. She knew where'd she find him to.  
  
Her assumption was correct, as usual the Potions Master was in his office, busying himself. And as usual he had a sour expression on his face when he looked up.  
  
"What do you want?" He asked, but Usagi was too used to his mannerisms.   
  
"I was just wondering why you're not involved in the Great Hall with everyone else right now."  
  
"Why should I be?" He asked.  
  
"Because you should enjoy yourself once in a while", Usagi countered, placing her hands on her hips. She created quite the picture in the white gown with the wings, and glitter all askew. Severus didn't seem to notice, however, and returned his attention to the work on his desk.  
  
"I don't find that sort of thing *enjoyable* as you put it". Usagi moved up towards the desk, and placed her hands firmly upon it.  
  
"Dance with me", she requested. Severus looked up with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Excuse me?"   
  
"Dance with me! Right now!" Usagi was full of smiles, but the Potions Master was unimpressed.  
  
"No", he said simply. But Usagi didn't leave it at that.  
  
"Please? I'll give you that duel that you so want..." she drawled, placing her wand down on his desk.   
  
"Tempting, but the answer is still no".  
  
"Why not? You can't dance?" She accused him.  
  
"I can, I just don't." He said simply. Usagi knew she wouldn't be able to change his mind, so she abruptly changed the subject.  
"Why are you so afraid of me?" She asked, even though she knew right well why. Severus put his quill down to give Usagi his full attention.  
  
"I'm not afraid of you..."  
  
"Then why won't you open up a little?"  
  
"I did...look what happened?" He said cooly. He was right too, Usagi remembered that night in the back of her memory.  
  
"Yes, but that wasn't by your will." She pointed out.  
  
"How do you know?" He asked, this caused Usagi to go silent for a few long moments.  
  
"While we're on the subject...why didn't you wake me up?" She asked, her voice having gone rather quiet.  
  
"Perhaps to save you from more embarrassment than you could've probably handled..." They were interrupted when Hotaru and Draco came to the doorway.  
  
"Okaasan...everyone's looking for you", she said, causing Usagi to turn her attention away from the Potions Master.  
  
"Alright, I'll be right there", she said, and gave one last glance towards Severus before leaving his office.  
  
****  
  
The Christmas Holidays had finally arrived. The Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students were leaving that day, just as the students from Hogwarts were going home as well. Viktor Krum and Hermione had an especially long goodbye, just as Fleur made sure to bid Harry and Ron a farewell as well. Professor Klassen had given Rei a kiss on the hand, and had requested a visit from her during her holidays. Madam Maxime had also had a prolonged farewell with Hagrid (the two having gotten rather close since Madam Maxime had first arrived). She had also given her approval to Usagi, who was grateful in return.  
  
Makoto, Harry, and a cuddly stray dog named 'Snuffles', traveled through Floo powder to Makoto's appartment in Tokyo. Her fireplace had recently been added. Ami was staying with Remus Lupin for part of the holidays, then they would switch and stay at Ami's (since she always visited her mother as much as she could). Rei was going to the temple, to spend some time with her grandfather, while Minako would be going home as well, planning on having Oliver Wood meet her parents.  
  
As the Hogwarts students were leaving, Hotaru rushed up to Usagi, her face flushed.  
  
"Okaasan", she started, trying to catch her breath, "Draco...asked me...to...stay...with him...for the holidays", she forced out as fast as she could. "Is it alright?" Usagi was speechless for several moments, her first reaction would've been in the negative, but she nodded her head.  
  
"Go ahead", she said. Hotaru hugged Usagi, then rushed off to find Draco and go home with him.   
  
Usagi decided she was definitely remaining at Hogwarts. Much to the other senshi's protests. Luna and Artemis went with Hotaru, to keep watch over her, since she'd be staying in a Death Eater's home.  
  
"It's my responsibility", she insisted.  
  
****  
  
Later that evening, when the school was rather quiet, with only a few students remaining, Usagi waited up in her office for the arrival of an expected visitor.  
  
The figure appeared in a flourish of ashes through the fireplace.  
  
"Hello, Albus", she greeted, Dumbledore smiled brightly. "How are things going?"  
  
"I was going to ask you the same thing...I cannot stay long, Usagi, is everything alright?"  
  
"Oh yes, everything's fine. Hotaru will be staying with Draco Malfoy over the holidays...was that the right decision?" She asked.  
  
"Oh, I think so, but I must warn you now, you are rather vulnerable without your senshi".  
  
"I know...do you think the school could be attacked?"  
  
"I doubt it. But even if it was, my staff is more than capable of handling such things...especially Severus". Usagi laughed at that comment.  
  
"He doesn't even like me". She said. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.  
  
"He doesn't like much of anybody. But he is still very loyal, I would trust him if I were you". Usagi nodded.  
  
"Alright".  
  
"I'm happy to say, that Voldemort had more competition with you and your senshi in the Order of the Phoenix...your mother would be very proud of you right now...you're handling this job very well...just like I knew you would". Usagi gave a small respectful bow.  
  
"Thank you", she said.   
  
"Well, I must be off, let me know if you get into trouble", he said, and disappeared with a rush of green flames.  
  
****  
  
That night, Usagi lay peacefully asleep in her bed. The school was so very quiet now, only a handful of students had remained, along with the original Hogwarts staff. Although she was sure, she'd be hearing plenty of the senshi, they'd make sure of it.  
  
She was so sound asleep, she didn't hear her door opening, or the person moving across the floor to her side of the bed.   
  
In mere seconds, the shadowed person had grabbed the back of Usagi's head and forced the contents of a small crystal bottle into her mouth. Her immediate reaction was to swallow the liquid, even though she didn't know what was happening at that point in time.  
  
The figure put the bottle onto the small table by the bed, and used his other hand to wrap around Usagi's chest, pulling her off the bed, and dragging her out into the corridor. She wanted to scream, but the hand that had held her head, now covered her mouth.   
  
"Voldemort is waiting for you..." The cool, cold voice said, "with the antidote to the poison you just swallowed". At hearing this, Usagi went cold with fear.   
  
After a few more seconds of being dragged, Usagi managed to free her mouth from the hand, and bit into her captor's left arm, right into the Dark Mark tattoo.   
  
Her captor screamed in pain. She knew that voice. And to confirm her fears, Usagi managed to get out of grabbing range, and pulled herself along the floor. She then turned around and stared into angry midnight blue eyes.  
  
"Mamo-chan..." she breathed.  
  
****  
  
AN: CLIFFIE!!!! ahhhhhhhh, I'm EVIL! And I know it ^-^  
  
Now, I'll be revealing more things, gomen for getting this out sooooo late!! But things are so busy around here...like big time!  
  
Review if you like...I do like! I've had very little inspiration lately...blah ~-~ 


	8. The Dueling Death Eaters

****Disclaimer: ~holds on to her cardboard box~ Don't take it away!! I don't own 'em!  
  
****Author's Note: Hai, I'll admit that was very cruel on my part...but there's going to be a lot of plot revelation in this chappie...  
  
Silver Moon Goddess: I had to leave it there, 'cause if I kept going, the chapter would've been wayyyyy too long! ^-^  
  
starfury3000: I listened to you! I hurried as fast as my little fingers could type!  
  
Cosmos StarGoddess: This whole chapter reveals A LOT of stuff!  
  
alexz: you know, I wish everyone on ff.net would review all the time like you do, makes an author feel so special ^-^  
  
asellus: hai, I am evil, muhahahahahahahahahaha....  
  
Arabella Silverbell: I hope you don't hate me anymore !! ^-^  
  
Sammie: wow!! You know, your review actually shocked me? He will be coming to the rescue...and hai, let's hope he gets there on time ;)  
  
Water Angel: seriously? I bet you weren't expecting Mamoru to make his entrance here, ne?  
  
Baby Serenity: you know, you're so very sweet ^-^ And to answer your question, hai, this is a Usagi/Severus pairing, for several reasons that should become evident in this chapter. Also, the pairing between Sirius and Makoto has a special reason too, that will be come evident in later chapters. As far as my other fic 'Innocente' goes, it seems people were offended for the reason that I took so many direct excerpts out of J.K.Rowlings' work, so I think I'll just rewrite the whole fic totally in Usa's p.o.v., and not have the excerpts in there at all.  
****  
~Flashback  
  
Eternal Sailor Moon stood by herself, her blond locks being whipped across her face by the nipping wind that was blowing violently. Hot, salt tears fell down her cheeks, but she made absolutely no sound, the silence being deafening. Before her the cauldron lay, where the darkness and the light of the galaxy came together to form the stars. She knew her choices, Sailor Cosmos, the mysterious ghost had appeared before her, and spoke of the consequences, but she knew not of what to choose. Either destroy it, or let it remain. If destroyed, nothing would ever come back again, no one would be reborn. But if she left it, there would always be evil to fight, wars to win, battles that blood would be spilled upon. Eternal Sailor Moon took a hesitant step forward, stopping to reason with her contradicting thoughts.  
''All I ever wanted was to be a normal teenager''. She thought wistfully, ''all I ever wished for''. She took a moment to shut her eyes, and cleared her mind, before she threw herself into the cauldron.   
  
Cold. Cold was all she felt, her eyes slowly opened, and it took several moments before her vision cleared. She went to yell out, but nothing came from her throat, except a few small noises. Her throat was extremely dry. Eternal Sailor Moon let out a long, slow breath, and watched as it formed fog, she rose her eyebrows when she noticed the fog condensing in front of her.  
  
"N...nani?" She questioned, finally her voice starting to return to her. She reached a sore, and bruised arm forward, her tattered fuku did little to guard her from the cold, nippy air. Softly, she ran her fingers down what appeared to be a small ice wall in front of her. Her heart began to beat faster as she reached around her, noticing she was trapped in a coffin-like ice encasement. She began to beat on the ice to see if she could break herself free, but it did her no aid, as tears sprung from her eyes. She stopped her futile attempts, to wipe the now crystalized tears from her pale, bruised face. Wistfully, she regarded her poor looking reflection in the ice wall. Gathering what little energy she had, Eternal Sailor Moon shut her eyes, and cleared her thoughts, placing her hands on the ice, she willed herself to step through it. It worked, as she stepped outside of her imprisonment.   
  
Opening her eyes, Eternal Sailor Moon inspected her surroundings. Again, she felt a pang of fear, when all she saw was more ice, and a layer of fog covering the area.   
  
"Where am I?!?" She yelled out, hoping to get a response, but only receiving an echo in response. "Somebody answer me!" She again tried, but like before, all she heard was herself. "Is any body there?" She asked, her voice more quiet this time.  
  
"Of course there is", came the reply. Eternal Sailor Moon looked around frantically. Now she was confused, that was definitely another's voice, but she couldn't see anyone. Now she believed her mind to be playing tricks on her.  
  
"Then show yourself". She said, just incase her mind wasn't fooling her. She watched, unbelieving as a shadow formed in the fog, slowly coming towards her. She would've readied some sort of attack, but her energy was totally spent, and she was tired of fighting. Her eyes widened as she made out the figure better, this shadow was in the form of a white-haired man with long silk robes. "Who are you!?!" She asked, panicking, afraid to move, for the fear of losing her sanity.   
  
"My name is Albus Dumbledore." The elderly man replied.   
  
"But how?" Eternal Sailor Moon squeaked. "How did you get here?" She clutched her chest, as a pang of pain raced through her.   
  
"Power down, and I will tell you". Eternal Sailor Moon complied, pulling on the brooch, returning to her civilian self, in a high school fuku. "Your mother's spirit summoned me here..." Suddenly Usagi couldn't understand what the other was saying, not having her powers to make her understand any more. Dumbledore noticed this and pulled out a wand from his robes, "translato..." he murmured, and suddenly, Usagi could understand English perfectly. "As I was saying, your mother has asked me to help you decide what fate you will chose for yourself...as you know, you may remain as you are, or chose to remove the burden from your guardians, and become immortal." Usagi remained quiet for several moments, before Dumbledore took her arm and led her through the ice prison. She could see the faces of her senshi in some of them, and felt confusion once again take over as the elderly wizard stopped them in front of Mamoru's. "It is time you knew the truth..."   
  
Dumbledore wiped some of the fog off of the ice, revealing Mamoru's left arm, turned towards them.   
  
"What is that?" Usagi asked, her voice in a barely audible whisper. She was looking at a small black brand on Mamoru's arm, in the shape of a skull with a snake wrapped around it.   
  
"That...is a Dark Mark". Dumbledore said. He noticed the confusion that crossed Usagi's face. "The brand that all of Voldemort's Death Eater's wear."  
  
"Who's Voldemort?" Usagi asked, turning her attention towards the old wizard.  
  
"Voldemort, once known as Tom Riddle, is a very powerful, very dark wizard."  
  
"Then why does Mamo-chan have his mark?" Usagi asked. She brought her hand to her chest, feeling hot tears well up in her eyes.  
  
"I'm not entirely sure, but I do know that Voldemort is no doubt after you". Dumbledore gently took a hold of Usagi's arm and led her away, back into the mists.   
  
"Why?" Usagi asked, causing Dumbledore to gain a small smile of amusement.  
  
"I knew you'd ask me that, I'm already prepared to show you..."  
  
Usagi and Dumbledore disappeared  
  
**Scene change  
  
When they reappeared, they were standing on the white sands of the moon. Usagi's eyes went wide in recognition, as the Moon Kingdom was in all its splendor. She watched as a little princess in a billowing white gown ran across the courtyard away from an older Lunarian woman.   
  
"That's me!" Usagi exclaimed. Dumbledore chuckled.  
  
"Look closer", he said. Usagi did as she was told, and realized with wide eyes as the girl came closer to them, that it wasn't her past self, it was a younger version of her mother.  
  
"Okaasan", Usagi breathed. The young Selenity stopped running for the briefest of moments to yell at her nanny.  
  
"You can't stop me from seeing him! None of you can!" She angrily stated. "I'm not marrying that baka prince, you can't make me...besides...I'm pregnant!"  
  
The nanny's eyes went wide at hearing this, a defiant smirk on the princess face told her that she was telling the truth. The nanny fell over in a dead faint. Then Selenity rushed off again in a flourish of white and lavender.  
  
Usagi couldn't believe what she had just heard, Dumbledore took her arm again, and they disappeared from the moon.  
**Scene change  
  
They reappeared again in the mists of the ice world. Usagi was completely silent, she looked up at Dumbledore in disbelief.  
  
"There was a good reason why your mother never revealed to you who your father was...but I'm about to show you who he was, are you ready?" Usagi nodded in response, and once again they disappeared into the mists.  
  
**Scene change  
  
They walked for a little while, through the mists, before coming out into an open field. Usagi looked up and gasped, they were standing in front of what appeared to be another castle.  
  
"Where are we?" Usagi asked, voice full of wonderment.  
  
"We're at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...when it was newly erected. It's still here, even to the present day, let's go inside". And like shadows, they moved through the huge doors and walked along the corridors of the school. After a few more turns around corners, they could hear voices not far off.   
  
"Sounds like arguing", Usagi said. And sure enough, an argument was going on, once they were close enough to determine that.   
  
A handsome man with light brown hair pulled back by a scarlet ribbon was standing in a doorway, it appeared arguing with another man inside that particular room. The clothing was typical for that era, a scarlet tunic and leggings, with knee high boots covered the well muscled body. Another thing that Usagi noticed, was his baby blue eyes, and the sword sitting in a hilt around his hips.   
  
"Go away, Gryffindor, I don't have time to chat with you", the man in the room said, attempting at finishing the argument.  
  
"Not until you agree to stop seeing the Moon Princess, you're going to get yourself in a lot of trouble", Gryffindor said.   
  
"What's going on here?" Another voice interrupted, as a tall woman dressed in an elegant yellow gown entered the scene. She had chocolate brown hair tied up in a tight bun atop of her head, and had brilliant emerald green eyes. "Godric, what's going on?" She asked.  
  
"Helga Hufflepuff..." the man in the room commented dryly, "what business is this of yours?" He drawled, then emerged into the corridor himself.  
  
Usagi gasped.   
  
"Salazar, *really*, you've been getting into too much trouble lately, is she really that worth it?" Helga asked. Salazar Slytherin smirked.  
  
"You've seen her..." Usagi couldn't believe her eyes, it was like looking at the male version of herself. Slytherin had silvery blond hair, tied back as well, his eyes were that of the cerulean blue of her own. There was something slightly different, however, in those eyes weren't the same kindness and love that were in her own, there was something darker...something evil...  
  
**Scene change  
  
Once again Usagi and Dumbledore were inside the ice prison, near the ice encasements of her senshi.   
  
"Now do you understand why your mother could never tell you who your father was? Salazar Slytherin turned evil soon after he and your mother stopped seeing each other. He had a belief that any non-wizard born children who possessed the magical talents weren't worthy to study at Hogwarts. He and Godric Gryffindor had quite the disagreement, and Slytherin soon left. Your mother never married, she chose to raise you by herself on the moon, and chose to abandon what ties she had with the wizarding world for good. That's why you never studied at Hogwarts. If you had received an invitation, it would've read 'Serenity Slytherin'."  
  
"Things are beginning to make a creepy kind of sense..." Usagi muttered.  
  
"So, that brings me back to your choices. Do you chose to remain as you are, or become the immortal ruler of the stars?" Dumbledore held his hands in front of him, his facial expression in a thoughtful manner. Usagi took in the question, and took a few moments to walk past each senshi in their ice encasements.  
  
"I think you know what my answer is", she said, wishing more than anything to give to her senshi what they wanted most in the world, a normal life.   
  
"I think I do as well, but are you sure that's the right choice?" He asked. "Don't you think it would be more fair to your companions, if they remained by your side?" Dumbledore asked. Usagi turned towards him, he had shed a whole new light on the matter just by bringing that up.   
  
"I'm...I'm not sure. I don't know."  
  
"Oh, I think you do". Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. Usagi smiled a small smile, partially of amusement, partially out of sadness. She then stopped at Mamoru's ice encasement again.   
  
"I think no matter what choice I make...things will definitely change."  
  
****  
~Last Time  
  
That night, Usagi lay peacefully asleep in her bed. The school was so very quiet now, only a handful of students had remained, along with the original Hogwarts staff. Although she was sure, she'd be hearing plenty of the senshi, they'd make sure of it.  
  
She was so sound asleep, she didn't hear her door opening, or the person moving across the floor to her side of the bed.   
  
In mere seconds, the shadowed person had grabbed the back of Usagi's head and forced the contents of a small crystal bottle into her mouth. Her immediate reaction was to swallow the liquid, even though she didn't know what was happening at that point in time.  
  
The figure put the bottle onto the small table by the bed, and used his other hand to wrap around Usagi's chest, pulling her off the bed, and dragging her out into the corridor. She wanted to scream, but the hand that had held her head, now covered her mouth.   
  
"Voldemort is waiting for you..." The cool, cold voice said, "with the antidote to the poison you just swallowed". At hearing this, Usagi went cold with fear.   
After a few more seconds of being dragged, Usagi managed to free her mouth from the hand, and bit into her captor's left arm, right into the Dark Mark tattoo.   
  
Her captor screamed in pain. She knew that voice. And to confirm her fears, Usagi managed to get out of grabbing range, and pulled herself along the floor. She then turned around and stared into angry midnight blue eyes.  
  
"Mamo-chan..." she breathed.  
  
~Present  
  
"Hai, Usako...it's been a while". Mamoru commented dryly. "You know it still hurts...the fact that you decided to leave me."  
  
"I didn't leave you!" Usagi growled. "You left me, and failed to inform me".  
  
"I couldn't tell you, you would've broken down like you always do, and cry over nothing." Mamoru took a menacing step toward Usagi.  
  
"That's right...like I always do", Usagi said, very softly, trying her best to back away some more. Although the fact that she was wearing a sleeveless silk nightgown didn't help matters much. The air was quite cold, and was slowing down her reaction time.  
  
"Don't be stupid, Usagi! Or should I say Serenity! You were born to become Voldemort's mate, not mine, you are the true blood heir of Slytherin, and you know it. So stop wasting time, and come with me, unless you'd rather die".   
  
"I think I'd prefer that fate. I'd never surrender to Voldemort. And I'll never break my promise to Albus, I'm going to protect this school *and* Harry Potter. Even if it cost me my life". Both people in that corridor knew Usagi wasn't lying, and knew she was very stubborn when it came to certain things. She would die from the poison, as long as it meant her power not going to Voldemort. But Mamoru was equally as stubborn, and wouldn't take that answer.   
  
He moved quickly towards Usagi, and grabbed her roughly, proceeding to lift her off her feet, and drag her along the corridor, father away from her room. Usagi could feel the poison flowing through her, and knew as she slowly slipped away from consciousness that she didn't have much time.  
  
****  
  
Sitting at his desk as usual, regardless of the hour, Severus was busy scribbling away on a piece of parchment. Writing out his plans for the new assignments ready for when the students would return from their vacation.  
  
That's when the stinging pain raced through his forearm, and caused him to buckle over, and grasp his arm tightly. Pulling up his left sleeve, he noticed the Dark Mark burning as black as ever, and knew right away that something terrible wrong was happening at that very moment.  
  
It took several moments to regain logical thought, and when it did, something in his mind caused him to think of only one name.  
  
Usagi.  
  
She was in trouble, and he knew it. Fighting off the pain as much as he could, Severus rose from his seat and rushed out of his office. He hurried through the corridor as fast as he could, silently cursing the no-apparation spell within the school.   
  
It didn't take long before he reached the long line of rooms where Usagi's belonged. And his eyes went wide when he saw her limp form being dragged by a cloaked man. Raising his wand, he quickly cast a spell to hopefully disarm Usagi's captor.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" He yelled out with a loud voice. The spell hit it's target, and Mamoru was sent flying back across the floor. Severus rushed forward and kneeled by Usagi's limp form. He went to touch her face to see if she was still awake, but the voice of the Death Eater interrupted him.  
  
"You're too late, Snape, she's already taken the poison", the cool voice said, Mamoru limped towards Severus, wand in hand, a sneer on his face. "Traitor...Voldemort has plans for you..." He spat out. Severus let Usagi lay forgotten for a moment, and gripped his own wand tightly, standing across from Mamoru.   
  
"How did you get in here?" Severus asked, his own voice just as cold, but even more deadly.   
  
"That doesn't matter." Mamoru said, "Voldemort wants her, and he shall have her. Silly Snape. You're not as sharp as your reputation perceives you to be. Didn't even know that Hogwarts' own Headmistress is the only other heir of Slytherin, besides Lord Voldemort himself."  
  
"What are you talking about!?!" Severus yelled out angrily.  
  
"Like I said...that doesn't matter. But if I have to get through you to take Usagi, that's fine by me, I shall give you an early death than planned..." Mamoru inclined his head, his icy midnight blue eyes staring into those of Severus' cold black ones. He then raised his wand, issuing a duel. Severus smirked, and accepted, repeating the small bow and raising of the wand. "It shall be an honor to duel you, Severus Snape, you *were* once the most skilled duelist out of all the Death Eaters. But now no more, now *I* hold that title."  
  
They began their duel, each proving to be quite knowledgeable of several different curses. And each also being very skilled at creating defenses for themselves. Although after a few minutes, Severus was gaining the upper hand, and was winning. One powerful spell he cast sent Mamoru flying back again, his wand slipping away from his hand. Severus rose his wand to cast one more deadly spell, but a voice cut into the tension like a knife.  
  
"What's going on!?!" Minerva McGonagall, complete in her long night robes rushed into the scene, causing Severus to turn away from Mamoru, to look at her. When Severus regained his senses, he turned to look again to Mamoru. But he had disappeared mysteriously.   
  
Not spending much time wondering on how Mamoru managed to apparate and disapperate in the school, he turned his attention once again towards Usagi. McGonagall moved to help as well, but Severus motioned for her to stop.  
  
"Look in her room, for the empty poison bottle, quickly!" He ordered. McGonagall did as she was told, and went inside Usagi's room. Severus knelt by Usagi, and gently lifted her up into a sitting position. He ran his fingers along her jaw line, trying to determine whether she was too far to save yet. McGonagall rushed back into the corridor, and brought the small crystal bottle to Severus. He took it, and after a few seconds of examination, his eyes went wide in recognition. He then dropped the bottle, and brought his other arm underneath Usagi's legs, lifting her up while he himself stood up.  
  
"Take her to the Hospital Wing..." McGonagall, flushed, said. Severus started moving towards the end of the corridor.  
  
"No time", he said between gritted teeth. "I have to take her to my office...I have the antidote there..." And with that said, he rushed back towards his office.  
  
****  
  
Usagi stirred in her stupor. She felt warm and comfortable at that particular moment. All logical thinking had ceased, and her mind was getting cloudier by the second. She peaked her eyes open, long enough to see that she was in the Potion Master's arms, and was being carried somewhere. She felt so safe and comfortable, that she fell back into a sleep, with a small smile on her face.  
  
****  
  
Cold shock was what Usagi got, when Severus deposited her body on the cold floor of his office. She was propped up against his desk legs as he rushed to the other side of his desk, sifting through his drawers.  
  
Finally when he got the bottle he was looking for, he also pulled out a small bar of Wizard's Chocolate, and sat it on the desk edge near Usagi, as he kneeled down next to her. He opened the bottle and let some of it's contents pour into Usagi's mouth. This time her immediate reaction was to spit the liquid out, accompanied with a violent coughing fit.  
  
Severus cursed out loud this time, quite vulgarly.  
He then plugged Usagi's nose with one hand, while dumping the rest of the antidote into her mouth, immediately dropping the empty bottle and covering her mouth with his other hand. This time she swallowed.   
  
Severus took the bar of chocolate and broke a piece off, he was aiming to put it in the princess' mouth, but she shut her mouth and turned her head away, making a whining noise in the process.  
  
"Take it", he said softly, "it's chocolate". Usagi opened her eyes, tears falling freely, and hesitated for a moment, before taking the offered bit of candy. She popped it in her mouth, and was glad for it.  
  
Taking a moment to catch his breath, Severus stood up and leaned against his desk, taking several deep gulps of oxygen. After a few moments, Usagi spoke for the first time that night.  
  
"How did you know?" She forced out, trying not to break out crying in the process.  
  
Severus pulled up his left sleeve and showed her the Dark Mark. Her eyes widened.  
  
"You didn't know I was a..." Usagi shook her head.  
  
"Albus never told me", she said softly, but the surprised expression changed into a softer look, that of which was full of kindness and understanding.  
  
"You're afraid of telling me..." Usagi started, but Severus turned slightly away from her.  
  
"You wouldn't like what I'd have to tell you", he said. Careful not to look Usagi in the eyes. But after a few more moments of silence, Severus moved back over to the princess, and lifted her back into his arms. He carried her out of the office, and just before walking away from the doorway, Usagi's voice interrupted his thoughts once more.  
  
"Where are you taking me?" She asked, her voice becoming more labored as she was growing faint with exhaustion.  
  
"To the Hospital Wing", he said.  
  
"Don't." She said, starting to whimper, trying to stop herself from crying again. Severus stopped and looked into Usagi's cerulean blue eyes.  
  
"Then where?" He asked, "you're not safe in your own room, obviously". He said. Usagi's arms grew tighter around his neck.  
  
"Let me stay with you...you make me feel safe", she said, and fell off to sleep.  
  
Severus did as she asked, and turned around, carrying her to his own room. He lay her down onto the black sheets and stood back, studying her for a few moments. She created quite a contrast in his room, her silver gold hair spilt all around her, the silk white nightgown falling into every curve quite nicely. She was indeed very beautiful. But also, she was keeping many secrets. Ones that he know had a glimpse into, thanks to the Death Eater that had attacked. And he was sure that if he had a way in, then this must've been the man that Usagi had known before...known and loved once.   
  
Taking this into mind, Severus remained keeping watch over Usagi for the rest of the night. Come morning, he would get the answers that he was looking for...  
  
****  
  
AN: short, hai, very, but I wanted to get this out a.s.a.p., 'cause cliffies are cruel, and I wanted to finish of the scene from the last chapter now.   
  
So, what do you think of the plot twist? Surprised?? Tell me!! ^-^ (If I get lotsa inquiring reviews, I'll make the next chappie a more revealing one, and much, much longer, promise!!!! No pressure ;)) 


	9. The Truth About Serenity Slytherin

****Disclaimer: Hahaha, why even bother...  
  
****Author's Note: Much, much forgiveness is begged from all of you. Life has been a tangled mess over these past few months, which has left me no time what so ever to work on this fanfiction. However, I finally got off my butt and wrote the next chapter. Hope you enjoy, and Happy New Year to everyone!  
  
****  
  
Hotaru and Draco arrived at the Malfoy Manor shortly after the first evening star began to sparkle in the night sky. They had traveled in a horse-drawn carriage styled in old Victorian fashion. Draco and Hotaru were collected at the school and had been traveling most of the day in silence. Hotaru was filled with worry about what kind of impression she would make upon the Malfoys. Draco had told her not to worry as she was from a pure blooded family and was an exceptional student.  
  
Hotaru glanced towards her boyfriend who was currently looking out the window of the carriage. She was having doubts about her dangerous relationship, knowing full well Draco's family history. Usagi had given her full confidence, knowing her foster daughter would be safe.  
  
"We're here...finally", Draco commented dryly, mumbling complaints about the driver of the carriage. Hotaru looked outside at the manor in awe. It's size could rival the moon palace.  
  
Draco assisted Hotaru down from the carriage, telling her to leave their baggage alone, as they had servants for that. They reached the front doorway and walked up the stairway. Draco tapped his wand on the door, within a few moments a house elf opened the door and allowed them to enter. Other elves rushed outside to fetch the baggage.  
  
Hotaru glanced curiously around the front hallway. It was obvious a wealthy family lived within.  
  
"Welcome home, Draco", Lucius Malfoy greeted slyly as he walked into the hallway.  
  
Hotaru felt her skin grow cold as blackness filled her min and a vision took over. Visions became more frequent ever since the first one took place in Divination class. She saw a room on a high floor within the manor. Inside lay many things of a dark nature that seemed to stir the planetary magic within her.  
  
"Are you...feeling well, Miss Tsukino?" Lucius asked, his eyebrow raised in question. It was enough to snap Hotaru out of her stupor and cause her to blush furiously.  
  
"Yes, fine, thank you", she said, smiling shyly. Lucius allowed himself a few moments to study the girl before motioning for the two students to follow him.  
  
"Narcissa is waiting to meet you Miss Tsukino. Draco's told us so much about you". Draco gave Hotaru a confident mark before the two started their decent into the family study where Narcissa sat patiently by the fire.  
  
Harry's description of the woman was nearly perfect, Hotaru determined. Noticing how the blond woman had her nose lifted slightly in the air. Her expression for the most part was unreadable, but she held her icy blue eyes tightly on the violet-eyed girl, memorizing every inch of her it seemed.  
  
Draco and Hotaru took a seat opposite to his parents, silence held the air tightly for a few agonizing minutes until Narcissa spoke for the first time.  
  
"So your family doesn't have you home over the holidays, hm?" She asked. Her voice was dripping with an icy coldness that rivaled even the most miserable of teachers. Hotaru regarded Narcissa for a moment, noticing the woman was attractive, but her snobbish demeanor gave her an almost ugly effect.  
  
"My mother is at the school". Hotaru explained, "taking care of the students there". Narcissa rose an eyebrow.  
  
"And your father?"  
  
"I'm adopted." Hotaru quickly intervened, not wishing to bring up Usagi's and the senshi's situation.  
  
"Your mother is single then?" Narcissa asked, Hotaru nodded. Silence overtook the room again. Lucius and Narcissa continued to observe the violet-eyed girl, Lucius with a smirk etched into his face, Narcissa with her nose held up in the air.  
  
Thankfully for Hotaru, a house elf made the silence end rather abruptly when it entered the room and placed a platter of hour'derves on the coffee table between students and parents. As soon as the elf saw Hotaru, it backed away in fear, mumbling incoherent words in the process. Lucius' smirk seemed to grow, interest beginning to grow rather rapidly towards the senshi of silence.  
  
****  
  
"Remind me again why this girl is here?" Narcissa asked, her voice evident with boredom. Lucius sighed, annoyed, removing his wife's arm from his own as they made their way to their bedroom.  
  
"I told you..." he said plainly, "so the Dark Lord can have full rein at the Headmistress".  
  
"And *why* is she so special?" She asked, "from the sounds of it, she's rather childish and *annoying*". Lucius stopped walking for a moment, causing Narcissa to stop herself. "What?!?" She complained with a huff, placing her hands on her hips. Lucius narrowed his eyes, anger beginning to boil up inside of him.  
  
"Were you *not* paying attention when Endymion explained to us who Serenity Slytherin was?" Narcissa looked uninterested.  
  
"So? She has good breeding, big deal. We know plenty of pure bloods who've done absolutely *nothing* to the wizard race. Why does the Dark Lord want this girl so much?" Lucius unclenched his fists and began walking again.  
  
"Have you seen her? She is rather lovely in appearance." Narcissa did not appreciate that comment one bit.  
  
"More beautiful than even me?" She asked sourly-sweet. Lucius growled.  
  
"Dammit woman, must you think of yourself as such a prize?"  
  
"Well? Isn't that why you married me?"  
  
"Ridiculous!" Lucius shouted, enraged. Narcissa looked behind her in alarm, then back towards her husband.  
  
"Shh! The children will hear you!"  
  
"Let them!" Lucius yelled before entering the master bedroom and slamming the door behind him. Narcissa huffed dramatically and entered the room herself, slamming the door more violently than her husband.  
  
****  
  
Draco and Hotaru were in fact down the hall and had heard every word. Hotaru clenched a fist tightly against her chest, feeling anger calling her Saturn power deep inside of her. Draco placed his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Just ignore that...my parents fight all the time. It usually means nothing". Draco moved towards his own bedroom. Hotaru settled a little bit but comfort was far from what she was feeling. She moved into her own bedroom after Draco bade her goodnight. She climbed under the covers, her mind full of thoughts. The main one being the mention of the Earth prince's name...Endymion.  
  
****  
  
"Princess...." A soft hissing voice called as Hotaru tossed and turned in her bed, her body covered in a cold sweat. "You are so close...come...awaken within..."  
  
Hotaru's eyes shot open as she jumped up in the bed. She clutched her covers tightly against her chest as she frantically looked around for the source of the voice. It wasn't strange she was hearing a calling, it was the fact the language in which was spoken was in her own language. Saturnian.   
  
She quietly slipped out of her bed and quietly moved out of her room to follow the calling voice as it progressively became louder.  
  
She found a long staircase near the main hallway which she descended, eventually finding a heavily charmed door at the end of the hallway. The symbol of Saturn upon her forehead began to glow softly as the voices begged her to open the door. She ran her fingertips over the oak door, prepared to order the door to open using her own ancient tongue, but a pale hand grabbed hers and pulled it back.  
  
Hotaru snapped fully awake and felt her face heat up at the sight of Lucius standing behind her, a bemused look upon his face.  
  
"What are you doing, girl? This part of the house is not for strangers to look around in". He commented. Hotaru felt her face heat up even more.  
  
"Sorry..." She stuttered, "I didn't know."  
  
"Innocent mistake, I'm sure", Lucius said, smirking, "why don't you go back to bed?" He suggested. Hotaru nodded silently in response and did as she was told as quickly as possible. Lucius watched her retreating figure, then when she was out of sight, he turned towards the door, running his own fingers over the oak himself. "She knows what you know", he said to no one in particular. "It will only be a matter of time."  
  
****  
  
Things at the Malfoy manor only became more uncomfortable as time progressed. Draco continued to talk all the time to Hotaru as if nothing about her visit was strange at all, but Hotaru's past life experience taught her better.  
  
Lucius watched Hotaru silently, however, Hotaru always felt eyes upon her, watching, waiting for something to happen, as if Lucius knew about her powers, and wanted to see what she was capable of. Hotaru wouldn't have been surprised at all if the Malfoy family would get a taste of what she was made of. And no doubt something back at Hogwarts would happen if Endymion was still in the picture.  
  
What lay behind the strange oak door still lay a mystery, even though Hotaru continued to have visions more vividly every time.  
  
****  
  
"They'll be away the whole day", Draco exclaimed a mischievous hint to his voice. "We'll have the whole manor to ourselves!"   
  
It was another morning at the Malfoy Manor, Lucius and Narcissa had pressing matters and were to be gone all the day. Draco, naturally, had plans for the whole day, beginning with breakfast, then a quick peek behind the large oak door at the far end of the manor.  
  
Hotaru's heart pumped with a mixture of fear and excitement as they reached the room of secrets. Draco held out his wand, ready and tapped the door. It didn't budge. Again he tapped the door with his wand as he had seen Lucius do it several times before.  
  
"Stupid enchantment", Draco spat, venomously, "I was hoping we could have a little bit of fun today", he looked towards Hotaru and shrugged. "Guess we'll be bored", he added with a sigh. He turned to move away from the door, but Hotaru felt her excitement overtake all other emotions, she grabbed Draco's arm to stop him in his tracks.  
  
"Let me try", she said. She narrowed her eyes and ran her fingertips down the oak surface. A purple glow began to emit from her body, the symbol of Saturn becoming as clear as ever. Hotaru could feel Draco shiver in anticipation and excitement as well within her grip.  
  
With a loud creak of the hinges, the door began to budge open very slowly, but enough for the two students to slip through. Draco's eyes widened at the sight.  
  
"Where to begin?" He mused out loud, a crooked grin crossing his features.  
  
Hotaru headed straight for a locked chest sitting underneath several dusty books. The voice she heard every night since her first in the manor whispered through the wooden chest to her.  
  
"Open, princess, you'll find answers within", it said.  
  
"Answers to what?" Hotaru asked out loud. Draco looked up from what he was doing.  
  
"What?" He asked loudly, Hotaru looked at him.  
  
"Nothing", she said, the both of them returning their attention back towards their own tasks. Taking her wand from her pocket, she tapped it onto the chest lock. Nothing happened, just as the door wouldn't budge for Draco. Again she called upon Saturn's power and the lock popped open by her touch. She lifted the lid and found more dusty books within.  
  
"Just books", Draco commented dryly. "I was hoping for something more interesting." He frowned, the n glanced at his girlfriend who began reading the book she had pulled from the chest.  
  
What Hotaru was reading was more or less a history record of family names and dates, near the back she found Lucius and Narcissa's names. Draco wandered over and peered over Hotaru's shoulder.  
  
"Oh, I've seen this before", Draco commented. "Check this out", he flipped the pages towards the beginning of the book and pointed to Salazar Slytherin's name. "The greatest wizard in history", Draco said, seating himself on the floor next to his girlfriend.  
  
"Are you related?" Hotaru asked, but Draco shook his head. Hotaru looked down the family line and noticed a name that didn't' continue. Serenity Slytherin. Hotaru shut the book.  
  
"What's wrong?" Draco asked.  
  
"Nothing", Hotaru replied, putting the book back where she found it, "let's look at something else". Draco complied without argument and got up to begin rummaging through other things.  
  
Hotaru felt the Saturn insignia begin to glow on her head as she began to get closer to some dusty books in the furthermost corner of the room. Once she reached the objects of interest, she opened the book on top. A purple glow began to emit from her body as she started to read the writing on the pages. The subject of the book was none other than Divination.  
  
Draco noticed the glowing getting brighter and pulled Hotaru's fingers away, closing the book in the process.  
  
"What happened?" He asked as the glowing dies, "what did it say?" Hotaru wiped her brow tenderly.  
  
"Read it yourself", she said. Draco did as he was told and opened the book back up, but was confused when he couldn't understand one word.  
  
"It's written in some weird language", he commented, causing Hotaru to glance at the book, noticing he was right. The words were in Saturnian. "Oh! I know what this is!" Draco looked Hotaru squarely in the eyes, "promise you won't tell anyone", he said. Hotaru nodded.  
  
"Promise".  
  
"These books came from the private collection of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, they were family heirlooms". Hotaru's eyes widened, what would Voldemort be doing with books written in Saturnian? She wondered. "C'mon", Draco interrupted her thoughts, "let's get some lunch".  
  
****  
  
During the night, Hotaru's mind began to fill with visions again. This time she saw a tall man dressed in all black slowly walk down the hallway of Hogwarts school. He reached a large door at the end of the hallway and slowly pushed it open. Inside there lay a vision of beauty and purity on the bed. The man kneeled beside the bed and kissed the sleeping woman's forehead before violently forcing her to swallow a vial full of poison. He then dragged the woman's flailing body from the bed, out of the room and down the hallway. During this process, the woman managed to free herself from her captor and face him.  
  
"Mamo-chan".  
  
Hotaru shot straight up in her bed and clutched her forehead with her hand. The Saturn insignia glowing fiercely.  
  
"Okaasan!" She called out to the dark, "okaasan, iie!" she sprang from her bed and ran from her room, blinded by her own tears.  
  
Lucius had heard her scream and had exited his own room to find the girl running down the hall. He stopped her midway and tried to calm her down.  
  
"No! Let me go! My mother's in trouble!"  
  
"I know girl, settle down!" Hotaru did stop, her eyes wide, staring straight at Lucius.  
  
"What do you mean you know?" She asked angrily. Lucius didn't answer her right away.   
  
"I'm leaving for the school, right now", she whispered fiercely.  
  
"That's not possible, you will go back when you are supposed to", he finally answered with. Lucius shook his head and lifted his wand to Hotaru's head, performing a spell to knock her out cold. He lifted up her limp form and carried her back to her room.  
  
****  
  
Hotaru awoke the next morning, remembering in anger everything that had happened. She ignored the knocking on her bedroom door and prepared to teleport back to Hogwarts.  
  
"Hotaru? Are you awake yet?" She heard Draco ask, whether he was innocent or not, she had to wonder. She felt her body fade from the room as her mind settled upon her school, within moments she has teleported.  
  
****  
  
Harry looked around downtown Tokyo in utter amazement. He had never seen so many people in his life, not to mention all of the department stores and cars that drove noisily down the street.  
  
"How 'bout a soda?" Makoto suggested. Sirius and Harry both readily agreed as they made their way towards the old parlor and arcade that the senshi used to frequent after school. They went inside and sat down at a booth, Sirius tugging at the back of his jeans.  
  
"I don't think I could get used to these muggle clothes, too tight". Makoto shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"That's what muggle men who are good looking wear now-a-days", she said cutely. Sirius rolled his eyes. A young waiter wandered over to their table and greeted Makoto warmly.  
  
"Konnichiwa, Kino-san! I haven't seen you in a while, ne?" He said, smiling brightly. He then looked at Harry and Sirius. "Friends? Family?" He asked, Makoto returned the smile.  
  
"The first choice. This is Sirius Black and his godson, Harry Potter. They're staying with me for the holidays." The young waiter nodded his head appreciatively.  
  
"Americans?" He asked, Makoto gave a little shrug of her shoulders.  
  
"They're from Britain actually". Sirius and Harry had been charmed to understand and speak Japanese, so they were busy picking things from a menu.  
  
"Is he your boyfriend?" The waiter asked, motioning towards Sirius. Makoto blushed. This question broke the trance Sirius and Harry were in, they both looked up. Sirius's lip curled.  
  
"Got a problem with that?" He challenged. The waiter sweatdropped.  
  
"...Iie...I was just...ne. Kino-san and I have been friends for a while now...are you ready to order now?" He asked, suddenly changing the subject. His attempt worked as Harry began listing off pretty much the whole menu. The waiter took the order and quickly headed back to the kitchen. Sirius watched the blonde's retreating figure and looked at Makoto.  
  
"How come he's wearing loose pants, hm?" Makoto's blush deepened to scarlet red.  
  
****  
  
Sirius took a deep breath of fresh air as the trio took their lunch break in the park. Snow flakes were dancing from the clouds.  
  
"This is much better than being cooped up in that damned house all the time".  
  
"That house is better than Azkaban, isn't it?" Harry asked. Sirius ruffled Harry's wild hair.  
  
"That's true", he agreed.  
  
"What's true?" A new voice intervened. Remus Lupin, arm in arm with Ami wandered up to the group on the ground and sat with them. "Something smells good", Lupin commented, licking his lips unconsciously. Lupin was dressed in a more conservative outfit, sporting slacks and a long coat as opposed to Sirius's leather jacket and jeans.  
  
"We bumped into that friendly young waiter on the way here, Matoki's replacement?" Ami commented, "he mentioned seeing you guys earlier", she bit into one of the many cookies Makoto had made, "he seemed particularly nervous when mentioning your boyfriend, Mako-chan". Ami rose an eyebrow in question when mentioning this. "Over your little crush on him, ne?" Ami questioned. All eyes focused on Makoto curiously. She felt her face burn in embarrassment.  
  
"Er...yeah, you could say that." She gulped nervously.  
  
"So were we going to meet up with Rei and Professor Klassan today?" Ami changed the subject, much to the thanks of Makoto.  
  
"We're supposed to meet them at Rei's temple later this evening for dinner". Makoto answered.  
  
****  
  
Ron had arrived to Makoto's apartment upon the night before Christmas Eve with the permission of his parents of whom once again made the trip to Romania to see Charlie. He was just as excited as Harry, to experience a real muggle Christmas.   
  
Harry woke up to a pleasant smell wafting into his room, Ron had already awoken and was quickly dressing, his nose could detect food miles away.  
  
"Just wait, Ron, Makoto makes the best cookies in existence!" Ron quickly found his way to the kitchen, not waiting for Harry and made a happy greeting upon entering.   
  
"Ello, Makoto! I have to try for myself to see if what Harry said was true or not". Makoto blushed and motioned for Ron to go ahead and sample. He was pleasantly surprised with the sweetest substance ever to enter his mouth.  
  
"I suppose you boys will want to go around the mall today, hm?" Harry had by that time come into the kitchen and nodded. "Well, have breakfast first."  
  
****  
  
Harry and Ron admired muggle trinkets in the windows in a busy mall. Although as both boys had noticed, Tokyo always seemed to be busy.   
  
Ron pointed out one particular shop that advertized delicious looking desserts and decided to sample.  
  
"'Eh, Harry! Let's go give this a try", Ron suggested, Harry followed but an odd flash made him stop. His eyes followed along to a teenage girl seemingly in a hurry as one angry shopkeeper hollered after her. Harry decided to help and chased after the girl. Conditioned by years of being chased by Dudly, Harry easily caught up to the girl and stopped her. She struggled fiercely under his grip. She cursed loudly in both Japanese and English, trying to physically hurt Harry in order to gain freedom, but to no avail. She finally gave up struggling and held out her hand with a tiny silver charm bracelet sitting in her palm. The flustered shopkeeper finally approached them, thanked Harry and took the item in question back.  
  
"Onegai-" Harry said, "don't press charges, she's so young, and probably can't afford a Christmas gift for her okaasan." The shopkeeper looked quite skeptical, but with Harry's tightened grip, the girl nodded.  
  
"It's true", a hoarse voice said from under a hood. The shopkeeper gave a disapproving glance but had what was stolen from him, so he left.  
  
Harry watched the retreating figure, then returned his attention back to the girl. She was dressed in baggy, dirty clothing, by Harry's guess she was homeless.  
  
"Thanks", she said in English, and turned around to look at Harry before promptly walking away.  
  
Harry was stunned, the girl who he had just caught shoplifting was eerily beautiful. Even more so than Hotaru, of whom was his current crush. He then decided to follow the girl and stopped her again.  
  
"What do you want?!?" She asked, giving her full attention towards Harry.  
  
"You speak really good English", he commented out loud.  
  
"So?"  
  
"Er..." The girl was glaring coldly. "Why did you steal that bracelet?" he asked.  
  
"'cause I liked it. What's it to you?" Her dark midnight-sapphire eyes sparkled in fury, bits of her long back hair stuck to her face after her near getaway left her perspiring heavily.  
  
"Sorry...I was just curious".  
  
"Well, leave your curiosity to yourself". She turned to leave again, but her eyes caught sight of appetizing looking food as Ron wandered up behind Harry.  
  
"I was looking for you, you just disappeared", he said, then he looked at the rogue girl. "Er...kon...nee...chee...er, 'ello". He said, his face going red in embarrassment. The girl laughed a delightful musical noise, and caused Ron to blush more. The girl helped herself to some of the treats in Ron's arms, and encouraged him towards another food store. "My name's Ron...Ron Weasly", he stumbled out, "what's yours?"  
  
"Just call me Sorrow, I suppose", she said. "What's for lunch, cutie?" She asked, leaving Ron speechless and Harry in a confused state, walking behind him.  
  
****  
  
Makoto didn't mind the extra company at all, Sorrow seemed to fit right in as she proved to not have any shyness at all within herself. Rei seemed to be the only one having any suspicious thoughts of the girl as everyone seated themselves inside the Shinto temple gathered for Christmas Eve dinner. But that naturally was typical for the priestess. Sorrow was busy chatting away about different adventures of hers amongst the male wizards in the room, who listened with great interest. The young rogue had quite colorful tales, seemingly having lived on her own for quite sometime. A few minutes after the meal, Sorrow excused herself from the table and walked just outside to light a cigarette. Harry and Ron followed behind leaving the adults to themselves.   
  
"Aren't you kind of young for that?" Harry asked, Sorrow looked at him and winked.  
  
"Not really, kids younger than me do it, why shouldn't I?" The subject was dropped. Sorrow walked up to the fortunes hanging from the steeple of the temple, but the bells made no sound as it was a windless night. "Anyone want to make a wish?" She asked, and pulled out a long ivory-white wand, swirling it around once, the bells began to make tinkling noises. Harry and Ron eyed each other.  
  
"You're a witch?" Ron asked in disbelief, Sorrow's eyes twinkled mischievously.  
  
"Whatever gave you that idea? I haven't been in a school a day in my life".  
  
"The wand-?" Harry began, but Sorrow waved her hand.  
  
"I'm a rogue witch, I suppose you could say, I learned magic by private tutors at an early age and became an Auror at fourteen."  
  
"An Auror?!?" Harry and Ron asked in disbelief.  
  
"No wonder you've never gotten caught with all those adventures you've had". Sorrow nodded in agreement.  
  
"And yet, as long as you've been around, I've never heard about you?" Rei said, coming outside.  
  
"For good reasons", Sorrow replied, placing a smug look on her face.   
  
"And what would those be?" The raven-haired priestess asked, "what if everything you've told us is not true?"  
  
"Is that a threat?" Sorrow asked, gripping her wand tightly.  
  
"It's a challenge", Rei answered pulling out her own wand. Sorrow smirked and nodded. By this time the other adults came outside, confused by what was going on.  
  
"Is this necessary?" Ami asked, but Rei was too busy staring down Sorrow to answer.  
  
"Let's see how good you really are", Rei snarled and cast the first spell. Ron and Harry were watching intently, ready to eagerly discover why Sorrow was chosen an Auror without the necessary schooling.  
  
Sorrow proved very easily she was more than qualified. Spell after spell it seemed Hogwarts' Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was losing a duel to a fifteen year-old.  
  
"Stop!" Rei finally said, holding up a hand, "that's enough". Sorrow gave a triumphant look.  
  
"Convinced?" She asked, Rei hesitated, but then gave a curt nod. Ron and Harry bombarded Sorrow with several questions as well as compliments for the rest of the evening.  
  
****  
  
The morning didn't come soon enough, as daylight began to flood into Makoto's apartment. This time Harry was the first to awaken, he had opted to sleep on the couch in Makoto's living room after offering his bed to Sorrow for the night. He was overwhelmed when he saw so many presents under the Christmas Tree, and didn't bother questioning how they got there without his noticing.  
  
Quietly, Harry got up and tiptoed back to his room, slowly opening the door, Ron sound asleep in one bed, Sorrow quietly snoring in the other.  
  
"You two, wake up", Harry whispered fiercely.  
  
Sorrow opened one eye and noticed Harry, smiling she quietly sat up adjusting the wrinkled bandana on her head. She motioned for Harry to not disturb Ron and the two quietly headed into the kitchen to raid for breakfast. After eating their fill, they headed into the living room to nose around the presents.  
  
"Why don't you open one now?" She whispered, Harry smirked and picked up two packages, the two teens sat down on the couch. Harry opened one of the packages up, and pulled out a necklace with a green pendant hanging from a gold chain. "That's pretty", Sorrow complimented, "who's it from?"  
  
"Madam Tsukino", Harry answered softly.  
  
"Who's that?"  
  
"Our Headmistress", Harry gave a soft smile and clipped the necklace on around his neck. Harry then handed the other package to Sorrow. "This is for you", he said, causing Sorrow to blush. She carefully opened the package and was surprised to find it contained the very bracelet that caused her and Harry to meet in the first place.  
  
"How did you ever-?" Harry shrugged. Sorrow gave a sweet smile, leaned over and kissed him.  
  
****  
  
"I have a feeling something bad is going to happen", Rei said solemnly while all the adults sat around Makoto's kitchen table. "I didn't trust that little Auror right from the start. How do we know she isn't involved with Voldemort?"  
  
"How could that be possible? She's just a little girl". Makoto pointed out.  
  
"So is Hotaru", Ami added, the wizards in the room became confused.  
  
"What does Usagi's girl have to do with this?" Sirius cut in. The senshi eyed each other and decided to leave Ami to fix her slip.  
  
"There's some things you don't know about us-why Usagi was selected for such an important job".  
  
"Car to elaborate?" Sirius prodded.  
  
"I'm afraid I cannot, we were sworn to secrecy by Dubmbledore himself".  
  
"Obviously for good reason_" Lupin offered to Sirius who was fuming.  
  
"This information is harmful to the students?" Professor Klassan asked Rei who took a calming breath.  
  
"Not the students themselves, although no doubt the Ministry would have a fit."  
  
"Well, I'll have plenty of questions for Dubmbledore upon the next meeting of the order", Sirius said, not looking at anyone in particular, "including bringing up Sorrow".  
  
"I sensed a dark power in her", Rei quietly put in, "I highly doubt if Dumbledore knows about her".  
  
"We'll find out soon enough", Professor Klassan commented, patting her hand reassuringly.  
  
Ron and Harry listened intently outside the kitchen door, after the conversation's subject changed they headed back to their room. Sorrow was laying on the bed admiring her new charm bracelet by making it float mid-air using her wand. She glanced towards the boys when they entered.  
  
"They were talking about me, weren't they?" She asked. Harry nodded slowly. "I live to repel. I don't have friends, nobody ever trusts me".   
  
"I do", Harry offered, Ron nodding silently beside him.  
  
"You don't know anything about my past, with the exception of a few details". She motioned for Ron and Harry to sit next to her on the bed.  
  
"What about your parents?" Ron asked, the burning question had been on their minds since they had first met the rogue girl.  
  
"They're the reason of everyone's mistrust", she turned to Harry, her dark sapphire eyes glittering thoughtfully. "You're lucky to have had parents who loved you. Their spirits will always protect you. Me-I have only myself". During that very enchanting moment, Harry found it very difficult to believe this girl could be the child of Voldemort, even though she spoke of neglecting parents.  
  
"You're too beautiful-" Harry mumbled unconsciously. Sorrow smiled and got off the bed, pulling a heavy sweater over her tattered clothing.  
  
"I should leave before I make anyone any more uncomfortable".  
  
"Don't-" Harry said, getting up to stop Sorrow, she smiled warmly and kissed Harry softly on the lips.  
  
"It was nice spending Christmas with you, Harry, good luck, be sure to send me owl post once and a while". Harry nodded silently, then he rose his eyebrows.  
  
"Good luck for what?" He questioned, Sorrow only winked.  
  
"You'll find out. Just remember that no matter what bad things may happen in the future, there are still people who car about you". Harry felt awfully confused, but watched silently as the black-haired beauty let herself out the door and quietly leave the apartment building.  
  
****  
  
Usagi's eyes opened to the small amount of sunlight peering through the window in Severus' room. They fire in the fireplace had burned down to a few glowing embers. She rolled over on her back and stretched out her limbs, letting out a soft moan in the process. Her body ached all over as she attempted to sit up. It was oddly quiet and it caused Usagi to shift uncomfortably in the bed and call out hello in the room. No one answered. Thankfully after a few agonizing minutes, Severus decided to walk into the room, and he did not look surprised that his new charge was awake.  
  
"Hungry?" He asked, his voice flat and disinterested. He tapped his wand on the desk causing a platter of food to appear. Usagi brushed her bangs back with her hand and snorted.  
  
"Good morning to you too", she commented dryly, but slowly got out of the bed dragging the blanket with her and sat at the desk to begin stuffing her face with as much food as possible.  
  
"I take it recent events have not spoiled your appetite", Severus commented with a smirk. Usagi stopped for a moment and swallowed.   
  
"There must be another reason why you're standing there staring at me." Once again Severus smirked.   
  
"You know right well what's on my mind. It's just a question whether you'll satisfy my curiosity or not". The room went silent once again as Usagi pushed her plate away suddenly feeling the effects of the previous night.  
  
"You may ask whatever you want, but I cannot promise an answer to every question". She looked up at Severus, another silent moment coming between them.  
  
"How is it, that even with the charms placed on this school, a Death Eater was able to apparate from the outside?"  
  
"I would be able to as well. It's his bond to me that enables him to come to me as he wishes". Usagi fiddled in her seat waiting for the next question. Fear began to boil up inside of her stomach.  
  
"That explains your never having been married, when that man was the closest to a husband you've ever had". Severus sat on the side of the desk and crossed his arms across his chest. He was ready for answers even though he had already figured out some facts on his own. And sure enough Usagi's face went deathly white.  
  
"How?" Severus shook his head.  
  
"I checked Hogwarts records and there is no Usagi Tsukino registered. However I *did* find the name Serenity Slytherin listed. Once a thousand years ago. And again ten years ago. How old are you?" Usagi felt tears well up in her eyes.  
  
"It's true, I am the daughter of Salazar Slytherin, he had an affair with my mother before he became evil. She decided to not have me attend Hogwarts once I turned ten as she wanted me to have no knowledge of who my father was".  
  
"You still have not answered my question". Severus said softly.  
  
"My body is only twenty, however that's because after I died during the Silver Millennium, my spirit was reborn into this century. Therefore I am a little over a thousand years old".  
  
"You're reincarnated? Why you?"  
  
"I can't answer that." Usagi whispered, even though she wanted to more than anything.  
  
"I take it that Death Eater is a reincarnated spirit as well? Along with the other women who came with you and even young Miss Tsukino?"  
  
"Yes", Usagi answered, starting to find it less surprising when Severus seemed to figure everything out before hand.  
  
"Then why does this man. Of whom you did love. Want to either deliver you to the Dark Lord or kill you? That does not make much sense to me. Is it because you are the daughter of Slytherin that makes you so special? You don't seem to have any extraordinary assets, save your looks". Severus remained quite serious, but Usagi gave a little smile at the last comment.  
  
"Regretfully that is another thing I cannot answer, although I can show you something I do have a talent for, I do still owe you a duel." Severus rose from his seated position and frowned.  
  
"No you don't". Usagi also stood.  
  
"Yes I do, as a favor for all the lessons you've given me." Usagi dashed from the room to retreat to her own to dress.  
  
****  
  
When Hotaru re-appeared she was in the very hallway of where Usagi's attack had taken place. She was not surprised at all to find the hallway completely void of anyone, save the patrons in the paintings leering at her.  
  
"Young mistress-oo, you've missed some juicy gossip", on woman in a painting commented, "you better go to your mother so you can learn". Hotaru sent the painting a dark glare and headed towards Dumbledore's office.  
  
Speaking a couple of Lunarian words meaning 'light fairy', the stone gryphon spun around to allow Hotaru access to the office. She chose one of the paintings and requested the patron in the picture to find and summon Usagi. While she waited, Hotaru took it upon herself to look around the office, she took careful notice of a bloodied sword with the name 'Godric Gryffindor' in scripted upon it. 'Harry', Hotaru wistfully thought to herself. One of the old professors in a painting made a coughing noise to announce Usagi's arrival.  
  
"Hotaru!" Usagi exclaimed out loud in surprise. Hotaru gave her foster mother a look of surprise herself, although her surprise was mixed with a deeper emotion.  
  
"What happened, Mama?" She asked in plain English, "what was Draco's father hiding from me?" Usagi's face softened at the sight of her daughter beginning to silently cry, Usagi took her in her arms, sorry the young girl was brought into the situation.  
  
"Hotaru-chan-" Usagi soothed, "I am so sorry you had to stay at that awful place, but I wanted no interference when he came".  
  
"Mamoru?" Usagi nodded, keeping Hotaru tightly within her arms.  
  
"Well I wasn't expecting Mamoru, I'd figured someone else. But it makes perfect sense why he was chosen. It doesn't matter, it's all over now and I'm fine." Hotaru couldn't hold back the tears anymore.  
  
"I'm glad, Mama, but Mr Malfoy-"  
  
"Lucius Malfoy is a Death Eater, but I knew you would be safe, Malfoy wouldn't dare touch you".  
  
"But Draco-" Hotaru suddenly pulled away from Usagi, tears forgotten and eyes wide.  
  
"Did he know?" She asked in fear, Usagi offered a comforting smile.  
  
"I honestly don't know. After all he's done to earn your affection, I can't honestly see how he could have conspired-for now I would leave him the benefit of the doubt". Hotaru rushed back into her foster mother's arms.  
  
"Oh Mama!"  
  
****  
  
The teachers murmured to each other quietly.  
  
"For everyone's safety, I've asked my own daughter to help me with this demonstration as anyone else might be seriously hurt or even be killed". Again murmurs arose within the Great Hall, more volumous this time, however. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions, after what Minerva witnessed last night, no doubt all of you know what has happened in this school recently. This is what Voldemort (several gasps sounded) is after".  
  
Hotaru and Usagi took their positions, following the rules of a normal wizards' duel. That is until the first spell was cast, made by Usagi. A bright white flash emitted from her ebony wand, but a purple bubble formed around Hotaru protecting her. The odd thing about this was the fact neither duelist had spoken any words. Usagi's glowing disappeared, but Hotaru's did not, she sent an attack of her own, more powerful than Usagi's, but was just as easily blocked. Usagi smirked.  
  
"Warm up's over, Saturn", Usagi spoke in Lunarian, confusing all of the teachers in the hall.  
  
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Hotaru asked in her own Saturnian tongue. Usagi nodded.  
  
"I'm getting sick of keeping so much secret from everyone". Hotaru nodded.  
  
"If you wish, Princess". Hotaru dropped her wand and began glowing fiercely, her pupils fading causing her eyes to become completely violet. The Silence Glaive appeared in her hand, causing the floors beneath them to begin to tremble. A strange satisfied smile crossed Usagi's face.  
  
"Silence", Hotaru whispered, pointing her glaive towards Usagi. The moon princess dropped her own wand and brought her hands to her heart, closing her eyes as the strong violet energy surrounded her. Several teachers cried out in horror, but within less than a second, the windows in the Great Hall shattered as an immensely powerful white light filled the whole room. When it faded, Usagi's arms were raised, her wings at full expanse and her crescent mark glowing on her forehead. Usagi opened her eyes and smiled at Hotaru.  
  
"Ginzuishou", she whispered, Hoatru cried out in pain as she buckled to the floor, her glaive fading in mid air. The Headmistress walked towards her daughter, kneeling in front of her.  
  
"That's enough", she said sweetly, her power fading away. After a few moments to recover, Usagi stood and faced the awed crowd of teachers.  
  
"What Voldemort wants, is my power, and as you've just witnessed, I do not draw it from my wand". Usagi helped Hotaru up and walked with her towards the doors. "Somebody might want to fix that", she commented nonchalantly towards the broken windows, and exited the Great Hall.  
  
****  
  
The evening came all to soon, Usagi had chosen to retreat back to the Potion Master's bedroom after sending Hotaru to bed. She avoided the faculty after the duel, knowing full well that she would've been bombarded with questions. The only thing that had bothered Usagi bout her earlier talent show was the fact she and Hotaru had barely used their power at all. But it was enough to convince the teachers Usagi was valuable, very valuable.  
  
"You put on quite a show", Severus silkily commented as he entered the room, closing the door slowly behind him. "I understand why you've refused to duel so many times now. However there are still other questions I wanted to ask you".  
  
"I knew you were going to bring that up", Usagi commented dryly, pulling at her hair, removing the odangos letting her hair cascade down her back.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" Severus suddenly asked. Usagi turned around slightly.   
  
"Figured I'd stay with you, after what happened last night".  
  
"Whatever for, today you've made it obvious you have the magic..."  
  
"Yes, providing I have time to call upon it. Mamoru came upon me by surprise..."  
  
"Mamoru. So that's his name". Usagi's smile faded.  
  
"Don't start with me, I do not wish to bring up painful memories, I've had too much over the last few days". And for the second time that day Severus and Usagi studied each other over a heavy silence. "Wait a minute", Usagi said, crossing her arms, "when do you start telling me about your little secrets". Severus gave Usagi a glare.  
  
"My past is none of your business". He growled.  
  
"Why? I told you who my father is, now you tell me about yours". Usagi placed her hands on her hips waiting impatiently for an answer.  
  
"My father is not worth discussing", Severus snapped back. Usagi felt her heart skip a beat in fear at his tone, but also she wanted to keep prying to find out more.  
  
"Why?" She risked, hoping to not be evicted from the room. Severus regarded Usagi for a moment.  
  
"My father is dead". Usagi felt instantly sorry for bringing the subject up. But she continued to press further.  
  
"And your mother?"  
  
"Her too". Severus turned his back from the Headmistress.  
  
"I'm sorry", she said, now regretting her actions.  
  
"Not many know what you now know, consider yourself lucky". At hearing this, Usagi lost what worries she had about angering Severus and continued to question.  
  
"So you grew up an orphan? How did you come to be a Death Eater?" She rushed it out too quickly, the Potions Master shook his head, and turned around to face Usagi again.  
  
"My mother died when I was young. My father blamed me for it and decided he would spend the next several years making that clear to me. I became a Death Eater to prove I was not a mistake of life". Severus ran his fingers through his hair and continued while Usagi remained silent.  
  
"He beat my mother constantly as well as using curses with his wand on her, eventually it wore her out, it was only a matter of time before it killed her. He seemed to think I was the one making him having to punish her". Severus made solid eye-contact with Usagi.  
  
"After she was gone, he made an effort to continue the punishment on me. How do you think I learned so many curses before I came to Hogwarts? Eventually I started fighting back. And after joining the Dark Lord, he couldn't win against me."  
  
What Severus had said was enough.  
  
Usagi could easily assume the rest, Severus had killed his own father. In his childhood bitterness he had chosen solitude in his younger years, causing him to be an outcast at school, and causing him to follow the wrong path after he had graduated.  
  
"No wonder you made so many enemies at school". Usagi quietly said.  
  
"I showed them though, didn't I?" Severus sarcastically commented, "I was the Dark Lord's most skilled duelist". Severus began unbuttoning his top, revealing the skin underneath.  
  
Usagi gasped bringing her hand to her mouth her eyes wide with shock. Surprised she didn't notice it while drunk with wine the one night together, Severus's body was covered in scars. He slipped the top right off, turning around. This time Usagi's eyes filled with tears. His back was even worse.  
  
"So much makes sense now", she forced out in a choked up whisper. Severus turned around to look at Usagi again.  
  
"Do not feel pity, I have committed more wrong that causes me to deserve every scar". Usagi shook her head.  
  
"No human being could ever deserve such treatment. How you lived through it is a mystery to me".  
  
"Pride. I would never have given that man the satisfaction of hiving the same fate as his wife."  
  
"Why did you keep it so secretive though? How could no one possibly notice?"  
  
"You didn't", Severus answered quickly, which caused Usagi to close her mouth tightly. She then nodded. Severus moved towards the lunarian and took her arms in his hands, pulling her close, Usagi raised her face to look Severus in the eyes. "You've hidden your secrets just as well, Serenity". Usagi looked away at hearing that name.  
  
"Please do not call me that, Usagi is my name, Serenity was someone who lived a long time ago". Severus's grip grew tighter as he pulled Usagi closer, kissing her in the process. After a few seconds, the Potions Master pulled away.  
  
"If you want me to leave you now, you need but deny me and I shall leave". Usagi remained only half conscious, her fingers tracing scars on Severus's chest.  
  
"I deny you nothing", she answered with, feeling her heart begin to beat rapidly in anticipation.  
  
It was much different this time, not having minds overtaken by alcohol and veritaserium proved to leave both more sensitive to the other. Severus proved to be more gentle with Usagi this time.  
  
It was frightening, this weakness weighing down her libs, clouding her brain. There was no flash or fire, there was no emotional involvement in that. But mixed with the fear was the dark, dizzying thrill of being taken slowly, so slowly that each touch, each brush of lips lasted eons.  
  
He could swear he felt her bones melting inside that sleek, ivory flesh. The drum of her turgid pulse thudded against his fingers. Low, baffled whimpers sounded in her throat. He slid the silk nightgown off her pale white skin so all that remained was the long silver-gold strands of her hair laying limply at her back.  
  
He stroked his hands down her back, up, a teasing fingertip caress that had her shuddering, had her lips parting on what might have been a plea before his closed over them and swallowed it.  
  
When she was limp against him, when her hands slid weakly back to her sides, he lay her on the bed, on the slick black satin. But he didn't cover her. Again, he braceleted her wrists, lifted them above her head. Sigh layered over sigh, as he began a slow, thorough trail down her body.  
  
She thought the air had turned gold. How else could every breath she took be so rich? His mouth was so gentle, yet it exploited weaknesses she hadn't known were hidden inside her. His hands were impossibly tender and patient, yet they made her burn. And they made her weep.  
  
It was more than pleasure. She had no words for it. It was soft, stronger than lust, and lovelier than any dream she'd ever held in her heart. Her body simply wasn't hers any longer, not hers alone. And when he met her lips with his again, emotions poured like wine. He slipped inside her like a wish.  
  
She was afraid of him. It was a staggering realization, especially in the middle of the night when she lay wakeful beside him. He'd changed something between them, Usagi thought. Shifted the balance so that she felt vulnerable.  
  
It had been a risk, certainly, to sleep with him. But one she'd been willing to take. But she'd never counted on falling in love with him. That was something she would have turned down cold. But turning her attention to the lean muscular arm laying across her abdomen with the Dark Mark burning black, she felt an indescribable completeness and security with the man holding her. The thought left her terrified.  
  
****  
  
Rei rushed as fast as she could through the hallways of Hogwarts towards the Great Hall where she would no doubt find Usagi. And to confirm what she assumed, the Headmistress was busy talking away with students who remained behind for the holidays.  
  
"What happened?" Rei prodded looking between her and Hotaru who kept protectively close to Usagi.  
  
"What do you mean?" Usagi asked innocently.  
  
"I keep hearing rumors from everyone that there was an attack on the school. Even Dumbledore mentioned something at the Order's meeting. You have some explaining to do-Odango!" Rei's face was completely flushed as anger coursed through her body. Usagi simply smiled.  
  
"It's no big deal", the Headmistress simply answered with. Rei's eyes went wide as if she'd been struck in the face. Usagi noticed and felt instantly sorry. "Had I been in any grave danger, you would've seen it in the fire?" Rei's gaze softened at hearing this, "besides what did happen will be nothing but a rumor to eventually go away, the staff here at Hogwarts are quite capable of handling these situations". Rei gave a quick look of shock at Usagi for speaking so wisely, but she then launched into a lecture using Japanese. However Usagi was not listening, after she had made her last comment, Severus had walked into the Great Hall and immediately made eye contact with her. Usagi felt her heartbeat speed up, remembering every little detail of their evenings together. She also felt a pang of sadness as she regretfully admitted she has fallen in love with the Potions Master.  
  
"Odango! Are you listening?" Rei snapped, bringing Usagi back into reality. Severus looked away but not before the Headmistress offered him a little smile.  
  
"Hai, Rei-chan". Usagi answered untruthfully. Satisfied, the raven-haired priestess nodded curtly and took Usagi's arm.  
  
"Now, there's something we need to talk about", Rei said launching into the tale of Sorrow, the young homeless magic rogue.  
  
****  
  
"What were you jabbering so much with Potter about at supper?" Severus asked Usagi, gazing down at her with one arm propping him up, the other wrapped around her back. Usagi smiled sweetly.  
  
"Harry's got himself a girlfriend-apparently he met her in Tokyo while staying at Mako's". Severus made a sound of disgust and removed his arm from Usagi, laying next to her but averting her eyes.  
  
"A muggle girl". He said, Usagi giggled.  
  
"Actually a rogue Auror apparently, specially trained". Severus turned his head towards Usagi again.  
  
"Not possible, she's not old enough", Usagi shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"That's what Rei told me, they had a duel and the whole bit, the girl is skilled".  
  
"Her name?"  
  
"Sorrow, I believe, she gave no last name, apparently parent-less and on her own".  
  
"Odd", the Potions Master said, adding nothing else.  
  
"That's what Rei thought, but Albus knows nothing about her. Regardless, she has been writing Harry, using owls, he says she's *very* beautiful."  
  
"Hm." Severus made the sound out of lack of interest, but he didn't mind Usagi's senseless gossip so much, it kept his mind off of other things, even for a little while.  
  
"Severus?"  
  
"Hm."  
  
"You're not listening to me", she accused in a very childish manner, Severus looked at Usagi and frowned.  
  
"Yes I was". Usagi rose an eyebrow.  
  
"What did I just say?"  
  
"That I wasn't listening". Usagi burst into a fit of melodic laughter, earning a glare from her lover, she noticed an buried her face into his neck, the laughter subsiding as the only noise present now was their breathing.  
  
"Does Hino know-" Severus began, Usagi pushed herself up with her hands, moving her face over Severus's, gold-silver hair falling around them. She gazed into his dark eyes and smirked.  
  
"Rei doesn't need to know everything", she said, her voice lowered dangerously. Severus returned the smirk and pulled Usagi close.  
  
"Hm."  
  
***  
  
AN: Once again, I'm so sorry it took me this long to update. I want to thank every single one of you that take the time to read this. I hope you've enjoyed! 


	10. Tsukino's Army:The Bride

::::Disclaimer: I have lots of new cardboard boxes now!! Oh, and yeah, I still don't own Sailor Moon or Harry Potter.  
  
::::Author's Note: Miss me? I missed all of you!! Did you watch the third movie yet? Warning: as a huge obsessive Harry Potter fan, the movie left me disappointed. But it's still worth a see at the theater anyways. I could sit here and make millions of excuses as to why I haven't updated this in months, but I think I won't bother boring you to death, and get right onto the fic, ne?  
  
Enjoy!!  
  
::::  
  
February had just begun when the rumors began. Students who had subscribed to the Daily Prophet passed their copies around as quickly as everyone could read them. The news of the attack on the Headmistress spread like wildfire as parents began to express their concerns for their child's welfare.   
  
Lucius Malfoy was leading the pack, with no surprise to families who supported Dumbledore's faith in Usagi. Hotaru felt the blame was partially if not completely hers, since the disastrous Christmas vacation at Malfoy Manor. Usagi knew, however that it wouldn't have kept under wraps very long, as it seemed Dumbledore had been right about keeping the secret all along.  
  
It was plain to see Usagi's days as Headmistress were numbered, and sure enough early one morning she received notice from the Ministry she was to be interrogated.  
  
"Damn them", Rei cursed loudly as the senshi received the news.   
  
"I don't think we could've kept quiet all year", Ami said quietly, the older senshi were gathered in Usagi's office. "Hotaru's association with that young Malfoy was a mistake", she added, but Usagi shook her head.  
  
"It was my choice, I hold no blame on her".  
  
"So when is this meeting of yours?" Makoto quipped, changing the topic, Hotaru became momentarily forgotten. Usagi tossed the piece of parchment down on the desk.  
  
"Tomorrow morning, first thing. I'll have to miss breakfast", the honesty in this comment produced some much needed laughter.  
  
"We'll make sure the students don't hear about it-"  
  
"Too late", Minako interrupted Rei with a sad expression on her usually sunny face. "That stupid gossip paper, The Daily Prophet published an article about it already". Usagi rose her eyebrows in skepticism.  
  
"How? Hermione took care of that Rita Skeeter". She insisted, Rei snorted.  
  
"There's more reporters than just her, you know, Odango". Rei's point had been made and all the senshi decided to drop the subject, as they left the office to head out to the Quidditch Pitch.  
  
As they took their seats amongst the other teachers, they quieted and gave the senshi sympathetic looks. The senshi responded with appreciative smiles, but nothing was said. Usagi caught Severus's eyes for a brief moment before Lee Jordan took his place in front of everyone, they then adverted their attention. Although Usagi moved her position closer to Severus without anyone noticing.  
  
::::  
  
Hotaru walked to the entrance of the Slytherin team's dressing room, full of despair. She knew Draco would've been involved with the trouble her mother was now in, or at least had known about it before the Daily Prophet had caught wind.  
  
The team quieted down when they spotted the violet-eyed girl and promptly finished their game-talk. Draco excused himself and headed outside of the small room to talk to his girlfriend.  
  
"You should be in the stands", Draco commented, frowning at Hotaru. She frowned in return and held out Hermione's copy of The Daily Prophet for his inspection.  
  
"Your father's trying to get my mother sacked", Hotaru accused, making it obvious she was rather upset.   
  
"Hotaru, when are you going to realize that you're not like her. Your mother is a friend of Dumbledore's, and everyone knows he's bad news". Draco's sharp comment was like a slap to Hotaru's face, "you said you're a pure blood, so you should get it".  
  
"Get what exactly? This is my own mother we're talking about. I can't believe you think she's dangerous. I thought you cared about me?" Hotaru bit her lower lip to keep herself from showing weakness, it would've been an act of submission.  
  
"I do care about you, I thought I already proved that?" He insisted and moved to rejoin his team mates.  
  
"Really?" Hotaru quietly questioned, Draco stopped in his tracks. "I think you just blew it, Draco. I choose to support my mother". She turned to walk away, Draco grabbed her arm and stopped her.  
  
"What are you playing at?" He asked, his voice low and dangerous, Hotaru glared menacingly at him.  
  
"I don't want to be with you anymore. You don't care about anything but yourself". She removed his hand from her arm with a violent jerk and moved away quickly before he could grab at her again.  
  
"That's right", he spat out bitterly as she walked away, "run to Potter, he likes your mother". Draco joined his team as they took to the field and never once looked back. He never saw the tears falling from Hotaru's eyes.  
  
::::  
  
"Dear Sorrow,  
  
I hope your assignments are doing well. Are you going to be in the area anytime soon? I was hoping we could get together soon, since there's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up. I don't know if you've heard, but the Ministry has our Headmistress under questioning today and rumors are going around that they're trying to get rid of her. I hope this doesn't actually happen. Write back to me as soon as possible.  
  
Harry"  
  
Signing his name, Harry rolled the small piece of parchment and sent it off with Headwig, who always seemed to find the raven-haired auror who traveled from place to place. The snowy owl disappeared within a minute or two as Harry watched quietly, standing alone in the school's owlery. He ran his fingers over the green bauble hanging from his neck and thought about how his Headmistress was doing right at that moment as she had been at the Ministry of Magic since early that day. Nobody knew many details about why she was there, but Usagi had mentioned briefly to some students that it was because of the attacks, and because of her magical qualifications. Harry was nervous for Usagi, and hoped dearly that the woman he had come to admire so much would remain at Hogwarts.  
  
"Harry, we're going to be late for class", Hermione's voice cut into the soft constant hooting of the owls. Hermione was holding their Transfiguration books and held out Harry's making her point come across in urgency. He gave one last glance out the window , then joined his fellow Gryffindor as they left the owlery.  
  
It was hard for the students to concentrate during class, and McGonagall understood, even though she made sure everyone payed attention to the lesson as she was always rather strict.  
  
The next class was even worse, since it was Defense Against the Dark Arts with Rei, who's fate rested in Usagi's hands. Rei was acting with an obvious nervousness that seemed to be affecting the students as well. She moved to begin the lesson, but she was interrupted by Neville Longbottom, who was squirming in his seat uncomfortably.  
  
"Madam Hino?" Neville caught the attention of their DADA teacher and what was on his mind, was also on the minds of every student in Hogwarts. Rei looked at Neville and nodded to him, waiting for his question. "Are they gonna get rid of Madam Tsukino?" He asked, his voice quavering a little bit causing a couple of students to snigger.  
  
"I don't think so, Mr Longbottom", the fire senshi answered, but she was worried herself.  
  
"But they can't!" Harry stood up and felt very upset all of a sudden. The students in the room looked towards him, then back at Rei who was feeling quite disheveled herself.  
  
"Mr Potter, we can't do anything about this situation, so it's best to be forgotten". Her attempt at focusing on that day's lesson became long forgotten as the students began making their arguments regarding their Headmistress.   
  
"But if they get rid of Madam Tsukino, they get rid of all of you?" Ron quipped, fearing the loss of Gryffindor's star Keeper.  
  
"I'm afraid so, Mr Weasley. Please, all we can do is wait for the results of her meeting. Don't let this bother you so much."  
  
"I don't think we could let it not bother us, Madam Hino", Hermione said softly, the others agreeing with her. "Madam Tsukino, all of you, mean so much to us."  
  
Rei took a moment to regard the students in the class and sighed.   
  
"We'll see. Now no more wasting time".  
  
::::  
  
Usagi looked around the Ministry building in wonderment. It was full of just as many magical surprises as Hogwarts had. She payed particular attention to the beautiful fountain of Magical Brethren as she could've sworn the frozen statues could actually move.  
  
She was being lead along the way by Percy Weasley, who by Usagi's knowledge, seemed nothing like his brothers. Percy held a rather cold manner, and kept his head held high, attempting an air of authority. As they approached Fudge's office, Usagi noticed a young girl sitting just outside the door. She spotted Usagi and offered a bright smile. Recognition of the girl's style of clothing caused Usagi to know who it was right away.  
  
"You must be Sorrow!" Usagi exclaimed, as the young auror stood and offered a nod of her head.  
  
"And that means you're Madam Tsukino, the one Harry likes so much". Sorrow stood still as the Lunarian princess inspected her over. Usagi ran her fingers along the edge of the bandana covering Sorrow's head.  
  
"You're so beautiful", she complimented quietly, as her cerulean blue eyes met with Sorrow's midnight blue ones. "I understand why Harry was so taken with you". Their brief encounter was interrupted when Cornelius Fudge opened the office door to let Usagi in.   
  
"Miss Tsukino, I presume?" He asked politely, Usagi nodded in response. She gave Sorrow another smile, then walked into the office.  
  
Sorrow watched as the door closed and sat back down, she was greeted with the hooting of a snowy white owl announcing her presence.  
  
"Hello Hedwig", she greeted the bird, patting it affectionately before removing the roll of parchment from Hedwig's leg. It only took her a short moment to read the note, but she chose not to reply just yet. "Stick around for a little", she said to the owl, who nipped her sleeve in reply. Sorrow then turned her attention to Percy who was watching over her at that point. "Take a picture, it lasts longer", she growled sarcastically. Percy glared towards the young auror, trying to intimidate her.  
  
"Mind your manners", he bit back, causing Sorrow to smirk in response.  
  
"I know all about you, Percy Weasley, you know there's more important things to life than sucking up for a better position".  
  
"How dare you-" he hissed back, but it didn't fizz Sorrow one bit.  
  
At that time an argument was heating up inside of the office and Sorrow took it upon herself to intervene. She rose from her seat and grabbed for the door handle.  
  
"You keep away from there!" Percy ordered, but Sorrow ignored him.  
  
::::  
  
Usagi walked into Fudge's office with her heart beating a mile a minute. She had wondered if Dumbledore knew what was going on at that time. That was when Usagi noticed the other person standing in the office. The woman was toad-faced and rather sour looking, although she was smiling sweetly towards Usagi.  
  
"Miss Tsukino, this is Dolores Umbridge, she is also an employee of the Ministry of Magic." Usagi nodded sharply to the woman who's smile grew slightly. "The reason you were called here today-" Fudge took a moment to clear his throat. "Is because it has been brought to our attention that you may be dangerous to the students, and that Dumbledore had you employed in his position, well aware of this fact. We're afraid that he may have put the student's lives at risk".   
  
"How dare you accuse Albus of such things. He has nothing but the students' best interests in mind. I am not endangering their lives!" Usagi's voice bounced off the walls with such velocity, that it caused items on the shelves to tremble.  
  
"Miss Tsukino, you must understand our position here. We were told the attack on the school was because of you. And that you have uncontrollable magic-"  
  
"Uncontrollable?!? I proved quite the opposite!" Fudge frowned towards the princess. Beside Fudge Umbridge glared darkly toward the blond facing her.  
  
"You realize you haven't the proper magical training required for such a position. You haven't spent one day in school, have you, Miss Slytherin?" She said the name with such spite, that it caused Usagi to cringe in anger.  
  
"I've been in school longer than I care to remember, and it's Tsukino, lady". Usagi's own voice was now low and dangerous, as if to dare Umbridge to insult her again. The older woman smiled sweetly and took the challenge.  
  
"Your duties are being relieved as of this afternoon", this comment was layered with so much ice it felt downright cold in that room at that particular moment.  
  
"How dare you..." Usagi choked on her own words, her eyes watering as Dolores Umbridge smiled in triumph.  
  
"You can't do that!" Sorrow blurted out, announcing her presence. Umbridge turned her gaze to the young auror and bared her teeth.  
  
"I make the rules here, young lady, and you should not be in here right now". Usagi turned to look upon the young auror, she motioned for Sorrow to stand next to her.  
  
"You shouldn't have to see this", Usagi whispered to the raven-haired girl, Sorrow couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Sorrow, leave the room", Fudge ordered sternly, "we're not finished here yet". Sorrow looked towards Fudge and shook her head.  
  
"I'm staying right here, I could hear everything outside so what's the difference?"  
  
"Fine, there's nothing left to discuss now", Umbridge cut in, "I will be taking the Headmistress position over. I will allow you and your personal staff to remain at Hogwarts long enough to get your affairs together, then you will have to leave the premises".  
  
"You can't tell me what to do", Usagi made a move to attack Umbridge, who backed up quickly, but Sorrow held her back.  
  
"There's nothing you can do", Sorrow quietly pointed out, "you can't fight their so-called laws".   
  
"Smart girl", Umbridge commented sourly, "that is all", she directed towards Usagi, hinting quite clearly she wanted the princess to leave. "Good day, Miss Slytherin". Usagi would have lunged at Umbridge but Fudge took her arm and escorted her out of the office.  
  
"I'm truly sorry it has to be done this way, Miss Tsukino, but there was too much trouble being stirred over this issue. We have to keep the students in mind, of course".  
  
"Of course", Usagi forced out bitterly, she was full of anger and felt like showing Umbridge how dangerous she could really be.  
  
Sitting in the seat once occupied by Sorrow, Usagi recognized Hedwig and petted the owl and relayed in her mind what would now take place. Fudge had gone back into the office and began talking in a low hushed voice to Sorrow. Minutes later, the raven-haired auror stepped out of the office and stood quietly by Usagi for a moment.  
  
"I'm sorry they did that to you", Sorrow offered, Usagi turned her head and smiled at the girl.   
  
"I figured something like this would've happened, I had too much of a good thing, I guess". Usagi sighed and stood up, facing Sorrow. "I suppose I should head back to the school. Before I go, tell me...I thought you were Japanese?" Sorrow wasn't expecting the question, but she crossed her arms over her chest and smirked.  
  
"Was it the accent that tipped you off?" She asked, her voice clearly heavily British. Usagi nodded in response.  
  
"You met Harry in Tokyo, so I automatically assumed you to be Japanese".  
  
"I travel a lot, it was by chance I bumped into a Hogwarts student". Satisfied, Usagi gave Sorrow a respective bow of her head and said her farewells. Sorrow reclaimed her seat and began writing a response to Harry.  
  
::::  
  
Upon Usagi's return to the school, the rest of the day's classes were cancelled due to an emergency staff meeting. Dolores Umbridge was minutes away from arriving to Hogwarts and taking over the position of Headmistress. All of the teachers and senshi (with the exception of Hotaru) were gathered in the staff room when Dumbledore made his appearance by walking out of the fireplace into the room. Everyone quieted as he did so and waited for Usagi's announcement.  
  
"We've been sacked", she said simply, feeling a lump rising to her throat, "Albus...it's only fair that we tell them". She waited for Dumbledore to give her permission to do so. There was an understanding that passed silently between them, Usagi took a gulp of air and began what she had been aching to do all year.  
  
She kept her eyes lowered to the ground as her voice filled the deafening silence.  
  
"As you all now know, I am the daughter of Salazar Slytherin. What you didn't know is who my mother is...her name was Selenity, and she was the Queen of the White Moon Kingdom during the Silver Millennium a thousand years ago." She paused to allow the moment of shock to pass. "I never knew who my father was, I lived all of my life on the moon as the heir to the most powerful magical object in all the galaxy. The ginzuishou." To illustrate her point, she summoned the crystal to hold it out for everyone's inspection. The crystal glowed brightly as well as the crescent mark on Usagi's forehead and each of the senshi's respective planet's symbol. "I had received the invitation to attend Hogwarts, but my mother chose to cut all ties with the Earth. I grew up a sheltered princess with no one to associate with except the princesses of the inner planets", she gestured to the other senshi, "and my betrothed. Endymion.  
  
"The kingdom was attacked by an evil force known as the Negaverse, led by an evil Queen by the name of Metallia. Everyone on the moon was wiped out with the exception of my mother, who, used the last of her life energy to use the ginzuishou to send the spirits of myself along with my court one thousand years into the future to be reborn". Usagi jumped when the door creaked open, but it was only Luna and Artemis who entered, knowing what was going on at that time.  
  
"Keep going, Odango", Rei prompted, the teachers kept their attention focused solely on Usagi.  
  
"Upon our fourteenth year, our past powers were summoned again when Metallia's forces had reawakened to begin their destruction on the Earth". Usagi paused and turned towards Dumbledore, "should we show everybody?" She quizzed, having put away the ginzuishou and calling for her henshin brooch. Dumbledore nodded slowly, the other senshi pulled out their own henshin wands. Calling out their respective transformation phrases, the room was briefly filled with bright flashes of light as the senshi presented themselves in their Sailor fukus. Every staff member took in the sight in wonderment as the four inners moved to stand beside their leader.  
  
"Our enemies were destroyed, after long fought battles. We have a magic beyond that of yours. Voldemort is well aware of this, since my reborn prince is now a Death Eater. The very one that attacked me. You see, there's a reason Salazar Slytherin desired to only admit pure-bloods to Hogwarts, because of his affair with my mother". Feeling uncomfortable, the senshi returned to their robes again. The teachers waited anxiously for Usagi to finish her explanation, "muggle-born wizards are descendants of other planetary beings, the magic remaining dormant through generations until it is reawakened again. Slytherin wanted any memory of Selenity and the Silver Alliance to be forgotten for good". Usagi turned to Dumbledore, "care to explain yourself now?" Dumbledore smiled his usual smile and nodded in enthusiasm, turning everyone's eyes onto him.  
  
"I met Usagi while her spirit was caught in a sort-of purgatory idea. Her mother's spirit had summoned me since she had become friends with a particular couple that passed away fifteen years ago. Usagi was in a bit of a pickle, since she had been burdened with a future-altering choice to make. Years later, this young woman still owed me a wizard's boon, and I knew she would be perfect to take my place for the year. I knew the knowledge and experience she had would become vital for Harry's fulfillment of the prophecy.  
  
"You see, Harry's mother was a descendant of a Jupitarian and the reason Voldemort recognized him over Neville was because Voldemort's muggle father happened to carry a dormant magic in him. Tom Riddle was born with the blood of a Saturnian. Since these two planets are brothers, the shield protecting Harry was that much stronger. But since Saturn represents death and rebirth, Voldemort was dead for a short while, then was reborn. A few months ago, young Hotaru was only four years old, she aged out of necessity. Voldemort held too much importance on his life at that current time, so he returned to his present state out of necessity."  
  
It was hard to determine what everyone was thinking at that particular moment, since they all had a lightbulb turned on over their heads.  
  
"There's one thing I don't understand", McGonagall quipped after a minute of silence. "Why did that man attack you if you were supposed to marry each other?"  
  
"I'm not entirely sure", Usagi answered truthfully, "he is what you'd call pure-blood since he was a prince on Earth and was born to wizard parents who happened to be royal. After me, young Hotaru as Sailor Saturn is the most powerful out of all of us. Mamoru's change-of-heart would've been influenced by Voldemort, if he has indeed learned to harness his Saturnian power and is able to control the powers of the ginzuishou if he so desires to take it from me. It is still somewhat of a mystery to me, however".  
  
"Excuse me", the snobby comment snapped everyone back into reality as Umbridge moved into the staff room, Dumbledore quickly hid from her view. She smiled her sickly sweet smile towards Usagi, "I believe you should take me to my new office now", she ordered.  
  
"Wait outside for a minute, I'm not finished this meeting, yet". Umbridge continued to smile as she turned to leave the room.  
  
"She has an evil aura around her", Rei mumbled bitterly.  
  
"Usagi, you did put the charm on my office, right?" Dumbledore asked when the woman had left the room, Usagi nodded quickly, "when you are all ready, let me know, hm?" He suggested, handing Usagi a small sack of Floo powder. He then took it upon himself to leave the way he came in.  
  
"Ready for what?" Rei asked, Usagi eyed everyone around her.  
  
"We will be staying at number twelve Grimmauld Place instead of going back to Japan just yet. That is all", she nodded as she left the staff room where Umbridge was waiting for her to escort her to the office designated for its new owner.  
  
::::  
  
All the students were in a noisy uproar after hearing the Headmistress announcing her dismissal. Everyone was gathered in the Great Hall for the evening meal when Usagi had returned from escorting Umbridge to her office. Dolores Umbridge had taken it upon herself to begin re-arranging the office the way she preferred, decorating it with garish kittens that she fancied so. She chose to not join the rest of the staff for dinner as she allowed a little time for goodbyes.   
  
Noone was more upset than the three Gryffindors seated closely together, as they and everyone else began chatting noisily about the current situation.  
  
"What are we gonna do?" Harry asked his friends, ready to take action to keep the Japanese staff there at Hogwarts.  
  
"There's nothing we can do, Harry, don't get yourself into trouble". Hermione scolded, she then turned her attention to a certain white owl swooping down the hall towards them. Hedwig dropped a small piece of parchment into Harry's lap before taking it upon herself to feed off of his plate. Harry quickly tore open the note and read quickly.  
  
"Dear Harry,   
  
I won't be able to send you any more letters, as I've gotten myself into a bit of trouble with my so-called 'superiors'. I was there at the Ministry when your Headmistress received the news she was to be sacked. I must first say how sorry I am, she's a wonderful woman. But, if you want to do something about it, I think I have an idea. Bring yourself and some friends (preferably the ones who participated in the dueling club with the exception of any Slytherins) to the Hog's Head pub in Hogsmeade on your next trip. I will see you there.  
  
Yours, Sorrow"  
  
Ron and Hermione read the note as well over his shoulder and after finishing, eyed each other warily.   
  
"What do you think she means to plan?" Ron asked, a mischievous glint sparkling in his eyes.   
  
"Something dangerous, no doubt", Hermione answered, frowning slightly.  
  
"Can you believe what the Ministry's up and done?" Came the voice of Fred as the Weasley twins moved to sit near the conspiring trio. "Bloody outrage, if you ask me", he added.   
  
"When's the next Hogsmeade weekend?" Harry suddenly quipped, following on Sorrow's instructions.   
  
"In a couple of weeks", Hermione answered, causing Harry's face to spread into a sudden grin. The twins noticed and prompted him for an explanation, he readily did so and thus begun a whispering train down the Gryffindor table.   
  
Just then, Usagi had left her seat at the staff table and made her way towards the Gryffindor table, noticing the students whispering fiercely amongst themselves. She placed a hand on Harry's back, he turned around and gave her a half smile.  
  
"They just can't get rid of you like that", he mumbled sadly, but she smiled in high spirits.  
  
"Believe me, they haven't. I won't go down that quietly." She winked after that comment. "But I want you to promise me, you'll be a good boy while I'm gone. And that goes for you too", she said looking from Harry to Ron.   
  
"Are you going back to Japan?" Harry asked, Usagi answered happily in the negative.  
  
"We'll be staying at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place with Sirius for a while. Naturally Hotaru will be able to remain in school, even though I'm not so sure she wants to". She said that and turned towards the Slytherin table where Hotaru sat quite a distance from her ex-boyfriend who eyed her once and a while.   
  
"Does Professor Dumbledore know what happened?" Hermione asked, changing the topic slightly. Usagi nodded slowly.  
  
"He was the first to find out." At that particular moment, Dolores Umbridge decided to make her grand entrance by standing in front of the Headmaster's chair. Some of the teachers sitting closest to her moved their seats over slightly, but she didn't seem to notice. Usagi turned towards Umbridge as she motioned for everyone to quiet. She smiled sweetly towards everyone.   
  
"I am Professor Umbridge, I will be taking over the Headmistress position as of immediately. The services of your Japanese substitutes will no longer be needed, as I will take over as the Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor as well." Many of the students quivered in fear at the thought. Umbridge moved around the table to walk slowly towards Usagi, the sour woman stared directly towards the princess as she continued her small announcement. "As many of your parents discovered, this school had been looked after by a dangerous substitute, that your Headmaster knowingly appointed. Not only is she not properly educated, she is also the menace Japanese vigilante known as 'Sailor Moon'. Therefore, she is considered very dangerous to all of you". Gasps of shock rose through the air, the senshi randomly scattered around the room backed away from the students very slowly and warily. "Also, the rest of your substitutes are also part of this group and are considered equally as dangerous." Their secret had been destroyed by a loud-mouthed woman who was enjoying herself at that particular moment. Usagi stared incrediously towards Umbridge before giving Severus a quick 'oh no' glance, then glaring darkly towards the evil woman before her.  
  
"You bitch", Usagi growled, lunging at Umbridge and punching the stout woman squarely in the jaw. The new self-appointed Headmistress let out a squeal of pain before shouting threats towards the princess, who turned to leave the Great Hall. The other senshi, with the exception of the shocked senshi of Death and Rebirth, followed obediently behind their leader. The students all rose from their seats and began talking very loudly as Umbridge stared stupidly after the fleeting senshi. The Hogwarts staff members, also stared after the Japanese staff knowing why such a secret was kept from the students.  
  
::::  
  
When Usagi stormed out of the Great Hall, she headed straight for Severus's room to cool off her temper a bit. She knew she should've been getting ready for her departure of the school, but like Umbridge had said, Usagi would have to take care of some unfinished business first.  
  
A few minutes later the one to whom the room belonged to made his way down to the dungeons and entered the room quietly, he looked straight at Usagi and waited for her to say what she had been meaning to earlier.  
  
"Is everyone else ready to go, yet?" She asked, trying to avoid the subject Severus wanted to talk about.  
  
"Not quite, the blond one is choosing a replacement right now, outside", he answered, his voice low and calm. Usagi studied him for a moment before she let the tears that had been building up to fall.  
  
"I'm so sorry you had to find out the way you did...I wanted to tell you much earlier, but Albus made me swear-"  
  
"I know", Severus cut in.  
  
"I just hope Albus doesn't get sacked for this-"  
  
"He won't", Severus cut in again. Once more a silence passed between them, Usagi wiped the wetness from her face with her sleeve and made a step towards the Potions Master. Seeing this as an invitation, Severus moved quickly towards Usagi and wrapped his arms protectively around her. He had learned to read her mind almost too well at this point.  
  
"I have a favor to ask", Usagi brought up after a few more minutes of being comforted. "Albus wants you to begin teaching Harry occlumency. Apparently a certain You-Know-Who may be trying to use Harry through his dreams." Severus let go of Usagi and took a step backwards to look at her, his eyebrows narrowed.  
  
"Why me?" He inquired, Usagi wiped her face again.  
  
"Obviously Albus can't do it and I don't know the first thing about it, except the name. Besides, you don't have me to tutor anymore so some of your time will be free now". Severus made a small noise of annoyance, but made no protest.  
  
"Fine".  
  
"Thank you. Could you tell me what it is?" She asked curiously, fearing for Harry's life at that moment.  
  
"To block people from trespassing in here", he lightly tapped Usagi's forehead. "Why don't I show you?" He requested, the princess nodded enthusiastically. Backing up a few more steps, Severus rose his wand and softly uttered "legilimens" before Usagi felt herself sharing her memories to another person. After a few long seconds, Usagi's eyes rolled back and she collapsed on the floor. The Potions Master rushed to her aid and helped her stand back up.  
  
"Woah...I get it now..." She said, smiling up at her would-be-lover.  
  
"You have strange memories", Severus commented using a concerned tone. "I saw you fighting strange-looking creatures wearing that odd outfit you showed everyone earlier."  
  
"You haven't seen the half of it, believe me", she insisted. A soft knock on the door alerted the couple to the presence of another, it was Ami standing quietly at the door.  
  
"Usagi? It's time to go", she said and left the doorway. Usagi waited for Severus to say something, but he didn't as he took her arm and led her out of the dungeons.   
  
"I know you", he said during their walk together, "you'll find a way to weasel back into the school". Usagi had to giggle at that comment.  
  
::::  
  
The Gryffindor team along with Ron headed out for the Quidditch Pitch just after the evening meal to determine if Ron would be a fitting substitute or not. Based on the tryouts earlier that year, he would've been the next choice after Minako, although he wasn't nearly as skilled.  
  
"We are so dead", Katie Bell mumbled dryly, fearing they may not see the Quidditch Cup that year.  
  
"You're not helping any", Harry quietly scolded, as Ron had a look of fear cross his face.  
  
"Sorry", she replied. Minako had her arm draped along Ron's shoulder while they walked, she was careful to keep quiet as everyone was still quite upset over what happened earlier that evening.  
  
Once they reached the pitch, they took flight as Minako gave Ron some helpful pointers. Once she was sure he understood everything, Ron took flight as well while the rest of the team threw the Quaffle around. Taking his position in front of the goal hoops, Ron waited for his first challenge as Alicia Spinnet charged towards him with the Quaffle tucked by her side.  
  
Minako watched on as Ron was assaulted with shot after shot, Harry joined her on the ground and waited for her opinion on the matter.  
  
"Harry", she said after a minute or two, "you better hope he miraculously gains some skill between now and the next game."  
  
"Uh-huh", he agreed with a dread of the inevitable.  
  
"Minako", Makoto made her way out to where they were standing, "time to go", she said sadly.  
  
::::  
  
Gathered in the staff room once again, a handful of teachers along with Hotaru, Hermione, Ron and Harry bid their goodbyes before the senshi would leave through the fire. Usagi gave Hotaru a fierce hug and warned Luna and Artemis to keep a close watch over her foster daughter.  
  
"Don't go, Okaasan", Hotaru tearfully insisted, "I can't do this without you".  
  
"Yes, you can", Usagi answered back quickly, "just stick close with those three". Hotaru nodded before separating herself from her mother. Usagi waited for the other senshi to say their goodbyes before they left through the fire to get to Grimmauld Place. Then the princess gave her own farewells to the teachers and thanked Hermione for her assistance to her. She then shook Ron's hand and gave him a good luck wish. It was when she faced Harry that she finally began to feel the effect of leaving.  
  
"Harry you make sure you pay attention in your occlumency lessons, hm?" She instructed, he gave her a reassuring nod. Then she turned to leave, until Harry made a move to stop her.  
  
"Potter, stay put", McGonagall scolded, as Usagi shook her head sadly at him. But Harry was never one to follow the rules and launched himself into Usagi's arms.  
  
"Don't go!" He pleaded, Usagi hugged him with a feeling of having her very own son in her arms.  
  
"It's okay, Harry, I'll be back, I promise", she glanced at Severus who knew what she meant by that, then gently separated the young wizard from her. Taking a pinch of floo powder, she walked into the flames.  
  
"Number Twelve Grimmauld Place!" With a large poof of green flames, she was gone.  
  
::::  
  
The loss of Usagi was wide-felt all around the school as everyone began to experience the new Headmistress more and more. Umbridge proved to be a most unpleasant woman to be around. Already after the first DADA class, Harry had earned himself a week's worth of detentions (with the exception of the night of his first lesson in "remedial potions" as it had been dubbed), by merely stating facts. Umbridge chose to remove all practical learning from the class and instead had everyone reading from texts all the time.  
  
Whining about the double potions class they had just come from, Harry, Ron and Hotaru headed towards the North Tower for Divination.  
  
"Is it possible Snape's gotten more miserable then he's ever been?" Ron asked out loud, obviously irritated about the 'D' on his essay.  
  
"Yeah, ever since Madam Tsukino was sacked", Harry pointed out with a sad note to his voice.  
  
"Well, maybe he's just getting more strict to prepare us for our OWLs?" Hotaru offered.  
  
"Rubbish", the red-headed prefect quickly snapped back. He was trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach in anticipation of Gryffindor's upcoming Quidditch game that weekend.  
  
Reaching the top of the stairs, they entered the smokey classroom and sat down in front of the glass orbs on the desks. Hotaru received a dark glare from Draco as she sat next to Harry.  
  
"Greetings", Professor Trelawney moved around the room, she too beginning to cover subjects to show up during OWLs. I want you all to gaze into the orbs and tell me what you see..." she drawled, Ron couldn't help but groan.  
  
"We've already done this", he complained out loud, Trelawney glided towards their table.  
  
"Way to go", Harry snappishly whispered to his friend.  
  
"Tell me", she said, leaning towards Ron, what do you see? Don't be afraid, you'll be performing this on your OWL dear. What do you see?" Ron sighed, then leaned forward and squinted while 'attempting' to see a vision. After a minute of silence, Trelawney decided to give up on the red-head and instead turned her gaze to Hotaru.  
  
"You have the gift of the Inner Eye, I have seen it. Why don't you tell me what you see?" Hotaru placed her chin on her hand while leaning forward to gaze into the glass before her. The white fog within the orb swirled around before the black shapes began taking form. After a short second one figure formed into a solid shape, Hotaru stifled a short gasp. "What is it?" Trelawney hungrily demanded.  
  
"A bride?" She answered, the girl in her vision dressed in an elaborate white gown.  
  
"Who is it, dear?" Trelawney pressed on.  
  
"I...I'm not sure...? I've never seen her before in my life".  
  
"Ahhh....danger is ahead, a death will occur", the professor lost herself in her own thoughts as she turned away from Hotaru and headed towards a different table.  
  
"Yeah, everybody's gonna die", Ron spat out bitterly.  
  
::::  
  
The portrait of Mrs Black grumbled loudly to herself as she stared into the empty blackness the curtain over her painting created. She could hear the voices of several women within the house as they moved around rearranging her home and causing a rather loud ruckus, and Mrs Black was very displeased that her son had allowed such women into Grimmauld Place. The old woman accounted bitterly the first encounter she had with one of the women as a tall blond had lifted the curtain and had screamed obscenities at her, including a threat to remove the painting from existence. Luckily for Mrs Black, however, she had placed quite the smart charm upon the painting before her death.  
  
When returned to darkness, she now had a good grasp on how much she detested the new intruders. However, it brought a new thought to her oily head. Why did everyone think her to be such a mean witch? Just because she liked to state her opinion clearly-  
  
Mrs. Black screeched loudly as the drawn curtain was once again lifted, only by a brown-haired, green-eyed evil temptress. "EEEEAHHHHHH!!!!!!!! YOU IMBECILE, YOU COULD HAVE GIVEN ME A TERRIBLE CASE OF FADED PAINT!!!! I'LL BE BLINDED FOR LIFE, DROP. THAT. CURTAIN!!!"   
  
"So....you're Sirius' mother, huh?" Makoto smirked knowing her smugness would create a whirl of anger coursing through the wretched woman. "I'm-"  
  
"I know exactly who you are, you hussy!!!! I've heard around, the trouble you've all caused at Hogwarts..."  
  
"Bite me", Makoto growled.  
  
"Oh you wicked, wicked witch!" She huffed, baring her few, yellow teeth.   
  
"I'm the wicked witch?!? Wait a minute here...I've seen this movie before. Oh yeah, let me give you a hint...I win". Before Mrs Black could utter a reply, Makoto shut the curtain, muffling anything the old woman could get out.  
  
"Hey, we're back!" Minako yelled out, her voice echoing throughout the empty hallway. Minako and Rei bustled towards the kitchen carrying overfilled bags of groceries. "You shoulda' seen how the cashier looked at us, when we said all this food was just for us two. It was funny", Minako let out a bout of laughter, but nobody else seemed to think it was funny.   
  
Beneath the curtain, Mrs Black was brooding while listening to the voices carry on right under her nose. Her eyes widened with every comment that was made, and caused her to feel sick to her stomach at some of the ideas the girls were creating in her mind.  
  
"Did you get those jumbo-sized cherries?"  
  
"How about those extra-large beefy wieners? That's Sirius's."  
  
"Yup, and some hot fresh buns to put them in too". Mrs Black gasped in horror as she listened to the comments, thinking to herself, 'it's not right!'.  
  
"Did you follow my instructions on picking out good melons? I like them big and easy to squeeze." Mrs Black's eyes nearly popped out of her head, as she felt violated and crossed her arms over her chest wishing she wasn't on the first floor.  
  
"Oh man, I love sausages, these ones are mine!" Mrs Black recognized the voice of her son as he entered the scene. "Nice melons, Mako!" Sirius had added.  
  
"I know, my cantaloupes are always perky, aren't they?"  
  
Leaving to the kitchen, Makoto set to work on the evening meal while the others continued cleaning up different rooms in the house. Sirius brought wood into the kitchen and set down a piece of hardwood.   
  
"Hey Mako, wanna help me chew the bark off this big fat log?" He asked, then looked behind him as he heard a small shriek from under the curtain in the hallway. "What's her problem?" He asked, Makoto shrugged her shoulders.   
  
"I don't know. But have you noticed how really bummed out Usagi is?" She asked, stopping what she was doing at that particular moment.  
  
"Yeah, what'd you have in mind?" Sirius asked, his eyes glittering, he was up for some fun. Makoto grabbed the edge of one of the paper bags with groceries still in it, she pulled it over to herself and removed a large glass bottle of Rum and smiled mischievously towards Sirius. He smiled back too.  
  
"We'll mix it up with some pumpkinjuice, she'll never know the difference, believe me I know."  
  
So all was set when everyone gathered in the kitchen to eat dinner. Usagi poured herself a large glass of spiked pumpkinjuice, even though the only ones aware at the time that it was spiked was Makoto and Sirius. They watched on with interest as she downed the glass, rose her eyebrows at it, shrugged, then went for more. Within minutes, everyone sitting at the table were completely smashed.  
  
Laughing loudly, Usagi tried to get up from her seat, but stumbled, catching herself on the fireplace mantle trying her best not to fall flat on her face. She looked at the small silver box in front of her and placed her hand inside, producing a handful of shiny black floo powder.   
  
"Hey Odango -hiccup- what are you doing?" Rei asked, moving to stand near her best friend. Usagi threw the powder into the flames and watched in delight as the flames turned green. "What a waste", Rei scolded, then without really meaning it, she pushed Usagi into the fireplace.  
  
"Wha tu say?" She slurred incoherently and was gone in a burst of emerald flames.  
  
She popped out the other end and landed directly onto her bottom, she cursed a couple of times then looked up at the faces of an elderly couple that looked at her with wide eyes. She smiled and excused herself sheepishly.   
  
"Erm...do you have...any erm...", she held up her hand indicating the ash on it. The elderly man picked up a small urn full of powder and offered it to Usagi who took a handful gratefully Determined not to end up in Timbucktoo, she threw the powder in and tried her best to say clearly, "number twelve Grimmauld Place!" With another poof she arrived out the other end, to land on her behind again. "Weeeee!!!! That was fun!!" She yelled in delight. Everyone else was still sitting at the table and laughed at their ash-covered friend.   
  
"Hey Usa, we were just discussing who we really don't like", Makoto slurred out, followed by a hiccup and a bout of giggles. Everyone else thought this was funny too and laughed.   
  
"Yeah...I like that...Flitwick babe... hahahahaha..wait a minute...I like that guy", Minako stared stupidly at the others, then they all started laughing again.   
  
"You know...who sucks?" Started Ami, who was looking up at the blank ceiling in awe, "that nasty clean up...fellow, he needs...to clean up...himself...once in a while, you -hiccup- know?" Sirius laughed particularly loud at this one.  
  
"Yeah...I remember hosing that guy down once..." Sirius said, followed by some laughter, "come to think of it...James and I...hosed down Snivelly once or twice before..." Usagi stared blankly at Sirius.  
  
"Who's 'Snivelly'?" She asked, but received no answer as Sirius was too busy holding his aching gut. Rei pulled out her wand to try to refill her glass using magic, but whatever word she uttered out, instead turned the glass into a squirrel. The little animal looked around at everyone with little black beady eyes. Everyone started laughing stupidly at it. Sirius pulled out his own wand and whipped it around, bubbles started floating out of the tip and danced around the air. Makoto tapped her wand on the half-empty punch bowl, and it started refilling itself, overflowing down the kitchen table.  
  
"Woohoo!!" Ami cheered, holding her glass under the small waterfall pouring onto her lap. Minako whipped her own wand violently, sending a wave of pumpkin juice towards Usagi, who became soaked in the sticky liquid.  
  
"Heyyyyy!!!" She whined, pulling out her wand and muttering her own made-up curse. Suddenly the hotdog wieners came to life and hopped towards Minako attacking her by bitting at her hair. "Sirius...you just totally...ignored my question!" Usagi continued, staring at him with her eyes narrowed into near-slits. Sirius looked back at her.  
  
"What question?" He asked, dumbstruck, then laughed again.  
  
"Who's 'Snivelly?'" she repeated, pouting.   
  
"Oh...the most hated teacher in all of Hogwarts!" Sirius rose his hands high in the air in dramatization.  
  
"I know I know!!" Rei said, rasing her own hand in the air, waving it around like a little school girl. "Snape, right?" She asked, nodding her own head. Sirius nodded.  
  
"Ohhhh!!! But he sure knows how to nizzle-my-snizzle.." Usagi slurred stupidly with a big grin on her face.  
  
Minako raised her glass, which was as shiny as her eyeballs, "I'll drink to that!!" She said, then slammed down her glass and stared directly towards Usagi, who was still grinning stupidly, "WHAT?!?"  
  
Silence filled the room at that particular moment, when everyone looked towards Usagi to confirm what she had just said.  
  
"What are you talking about, Odango?" Rei asked, sobering up a little at that point. Usagi brought her fingers to her lips.  
  
"Oops, guess the cat's outta the bag, hmm?" Usagi said, giggling a little.  
  
"What did you mean by that?" Rei prodded impatiently. Usagi looked away towards the wall. "What have you and Snape been doing exactly?" She continued, "you can't tell me you've actually been...you know...with him??" Usagi looked back at Rei and gave her a half-smile.  
  
"No way!!" Sirius said, slamming down his glass, "you picked him?!?" He asked in disbelief. "You...and...and...Snivellus?!?"   
  
"Don't call him that!!" Usagi yelled angrily at him, and pushed away from the table, heading upstairs to her room.  
  
A few minutes later Makoto forced her way into Usagi's room and grabbed the smaller girl's arms, dragging her off the bed and making her follow into Makoto's own room. The other senshi were there, sitting around the floor, with pillows used as cushions. The alcohol had started wearing off by now, but they were all still in a giggly mood.   
  
"So tell us..." Minako purred slyly, "is he any good?" She asked Usagi, who was still in a pouting mood, but her lips suddenly curved into a smile. "Thought so", Minako concluded.  
  
"Well..." Usagi began while taking a seat on the floor, "you can't tell me that Rei hasn't been...erm...fooling around with that...Headmaster", Rei suddenly went quiet, her face turning red.   
  
"Who said...?" She accused, but Usagi rose an eyebrow, Rei gave her a look of surrender.  
  
"How 'bout you?" Minako suddenly turned to Ami, "is Lupin's bite worse than his bark?" She asked. Rei smacked the blond's head.  
  
"It's bark worse than his bite, baka", she scolded.   
  
"Well, Mako and Sirius haven't really...done...anything, yet?" Ami said, playing innocent. Makoto shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"He was in prison for thirteen years, I'm not gonna force myself on him..." she said, the others nodded.   
  
"Hey, did somebody call me?" Came Sirius's voice as he opened the bedroom door, the senshi looked towards him and glared. Makoto picked up a pillow and winged it at him. He took the hint quite well. "Sorry", he said, "I just wanted to talk to Mako...alone." All the girls looked towards the girl of choice and "awwed" at her, she blushed, then got up to leave the room. Once again, Usagi was left with a painful ache in her heart.   
  
::::  
  
Hogsmeade weekend had finally arrived as students rushed around madly looking for their money pouches or deciding exactly what they were going to do first. It was Valentine's Day and not to mention the first meeting with Sorrow, the rogue auror who would be taking on students.  
  
Gathering at the large oak entrance, students grouped tightly together as Filch took names. Harry couldn't reach the Hog's Head fast enough as Ron and Hermione rushed to keep up. The building was old and drab, inside even worse as the dust looked like it hadn't been removed in years. Ignoring the odd looks he was receiving from other patrons of the bar, not to mention the barkeep himself, he spotted Sorrow standing near the back of the room. She spotted him right away, her mouth spreading into a wide smile, her body covered in shabby clothing as usual, including the same plain black bandana she always wore around her head.  
  
"Hello Harry", she greeted, the two standing still rooted in their spots.  
  
"Well, go on then, Harry", Ron prompted, giving his friend a gentle shove. Harry couldn't help but turn red in embarrassment, but he walked up to Sorrow and stood awkwardly in front of her. Not saying anything, the young auror threw her arms around his neck.  
  
"I'm glad you're here", she whispered in his ear, causing Harry's face to turn even more red. More people started coming into the Hog's Head and what caused the barkeep to look even more put out, was the fact it was more Hogwarts students.  
  
"How many did you tell?" Sorrow asked as they regarded the curious students.  
  
"A few", Hermione said, but the students continued entering the pub. Sorrow rose her eyebrows.  
  
"Erm...this is more than a few". The students who had already come in were looking towards Sorrow in wonderment, never having met an auror their age before. Hotaru had come in accompanied by Ginny and her dark-haired boyfriend by the name of Michael Corner. Sorrow glared darkly at the violet-eyed girl.  
  
"I said no Slytherins!" She exclaimed loudly, causing everyone to stare at either her or Hotaru, Hotaru glared back.  
  
"It's alright, she's our friend", Harry insisted to the angry auror who kept her glare fixed on the senshi of Saturn. "She's Madam Tsukino's daughter".  
  
"Oh...a suck-up, hm? She's probably nothing like her mother", Sorrow accused, Hotaru gave her a warning glance, but Sorrow didn't seem to care.  
  
"Well, we'll make sure everyone who's here today won't reveal what's going on to anyone else".  
  
"How are you gonna do that?" Ron quizzed.  
  
"Simple, I'll put a secret-breaking curse on everyone". Sorrow said quite loudly, some of the students wondered whether they should leave at this point.  
  
"How 'bout something to drink?" One of the Weasley twins suggested, breaking the ice and heading over to the bar. This did the trick as Hotaru became momentarily forgotten when Sorrow headed up to the bar. Several butterbeers were ordered, but the rogue auror asked for Firewhisky, causing interested looks. Harry and Ron moved closely beside her and watched as she took down the liquid in one quick gulp. She regarded the two curiously for a moment.  
  
"You want to try?" She asked as they hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "you won't like it", she insisted but held up three fingers and tossed more coins on the counter. Holding their glasses, Sorrow raised hers towards the other two, then the three of them drank the liquor. Harry and Ron began coughing violently, other students were laughing at them, "told you", Sorrow said.  
  
Taking up the majority of tables in the pub, Sorrow caught the attention of all students eyes as she began the meeting.  
  
"First of all, thank you for coming. I'm sure all of you are feeling very affected by the absence of Miss Tsukino", a chorus of mumbles agreed with her, "and from personal experience, I know how you must feel about Dolores Umbridge.  
  
"As I have heard, she had taken practical use out of your DADA classes and I am here to suggest that I teach you what you need to know." The other students' voices rose in great interest at that, as they began asking several questions at once. Sorrow rose up her hands to indicate she wanted silence once more.  
  
"Why go through all the trouble?" Ginny asked suddenly, other students kept their eyes glued firmly on Sorrow.  
  
"Because Lord Voldemort is back". Several gasps rang out and a couple of stifled screams sounded as well.  
  
"Where's your proof?" Asked Zacharias Smith.  
  
"Dumbledore believes it", Sorrow snapped back, "and so do I. It's called trust. Not only that, but your own Headmistress was attacked by a Death Eater. That's why she got sacked isn't it?"   
  
"But they said she's Sailor Moon! How can she be trusted when they all lied to us?" As the same boy again, Sorrow growled in response.   
  
"Put faith in her...did she ever once hurt any of you?" Slowly, the students came to agree with her, they all remained planted firmly in their seats.  
  
"Alright, now obviously our secret meetings will be held in the school, and I know the perfect place for it too. It's called the Room of Requirement, and is hidden on the seventh floor behind a painting of Barnabas the Barmy."  
  
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Asked Neville in a worried tone.  
  
"Makes perfect sense to me", Hermione offered, and being a prefect, that was convincing enough.  
  
"Sounds bloody exciting to me", Luna Lovegood piped up.  
  
"Alright, the first meeting will be arranged when it suits everyone. Hermione here, will let you all know, as well as letting me know." Hermione pulled out a piece of parchment, and signed it, as well as Sorrow signing it. "Put your name on this list."  
  
"But one if somebody finds it?" Asked a Hufflepuff girl.  
  
"You think I'll lose it?" Quizzed Hermione, and slowly, one by one, everyone put their name on it. Hermione rolled up the parchment and tucked it away.  
  
"Now, you better be off before anyone gets too suspicious". Everyone rose from their seats and left the Hog's Head to continue their own agenda for the rest of the day. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Hotaru had remained behind, still with Sorrow who continued her glaring contest with the violet-eyed girl.  
  
"Are you leaving now?" Harry asked, hoping to spend a little more time with the rogue auror.  
  
"I don't see why I can't have a bit of fun first?" She answered, giving Harry a mischievous smirk.  
  
"Well, we'll let you two be off then", Hermione suggested with a strong hint, motioning for Ron and Hotaru to follow. They did, but not before Hotaru gave Sorrow an envy-filled stare.  
  
"Why'd they leave?" Harry asked, causing Sorrow to giggle in amusement.  
  
"C'mon", she said, leading them outside the old pub.  
  
They looked around at all the shops, Sorrow let out a sigh of boredom then spotted what she was looking for. She grabbed Harry's hand and dragged him along to the shop of interest.  
  
"You wanted to buy a broom?" Harry asked, looking at the Firebolt in the window.  
  
"Don't you have one of those?" She asked, receiving a nod in reply, "are they fun?" Again, Harry gave her another nod. She pulled a large pouch full of coins out of her pocket and went to walk into the shop, "follow my lead", she whispered.  
  
Inside, the small man behind the counter gave Sorrow a look of skepticism, regarding the way she was dressed, but she flashed the man a bright smile.  
  
"Afternoon, Sir", she greeted, using a rather annoying, high-pitched voice. Harry hid behind her. She looked at her nails and jiggled her bag of money. "It's my birthday today, you know", she said mockingly, "Daddy told me I could have a new set of brooms, but I'm not sure which ones I want?" This caught the interest of the shopkeeper finally, as his eyes remained transfixed on her money pouch. "Could you make a good suggestion? I don't mind how expensive they are, we're getting married and he's got a rich family too", she said, moving to the side and taking Harry's hand. He had by now taken the hint and had produced his own money pouch from his own pocket.  
  
"Yes, Miss?"  
  
"...Jupiter", she offered, giving Harry a quick wink, "Eleanor Anne Jupiter". The shopkeeper gave her a respective nod and removed a Firebolt from a display case behind the counter.  
  
"These would probably suit you just fine, Miss Jupiter." Sorrow gave the man a very innocent sweet smile and took the broom.  
  
"We'll have to take them for a test run first, of course?" She said, but the small man took a large gulp of air.  
  
"It's store policy that the brooms are not to be removed from the store unless purchased", Sorrow shrugged her shoulders and set the broom back down onto the counter. She jiggled her money pouch again as she turned to leave.  
  
"I suppose we'll take our business elsewhere", she said in the same shrilly voice as she took Harry's arm."  
  
"Wait!" The shopkeeper called out staring longingly at her money pouch. "Alright, but you must leave something behind." Sorrow gave Harry a triumphant smirk before turning back to the counter. She and Harry placed their money bags onto the counter as the shopkeeper handed them each a broom. The small man was about to take the pouches, Sorrow turned before they left the shop.  
  
"It won't open, so don't bother trying to steal anything just yet". The shopkeeper frowned at her. As soon as the door shut behind them, Harry gave a shout of delight.  
  
"That was some show you put on!" He complimented, "but what are we doing with these?" He asked. Sorrow gave him a smile full of evil.  
  
"Test ride them of course!" She said, mounting the broom. Harry followed suit and followed her in the air before she stopped to face him. "Wanna race?" She challenged playfully, she then took off without giving Harry a warning, but he too raced after her, determined not to let her win.  
  
After about ten minutes of being high in the air, Harry had completely lost sight of Sorrow, and he looked frantically around himself hoping to spot her.  
  
"Harry, you're right, these are real great!" Came the breathless voice of the rogue auror, confusing Harry. "Look down", she suggested. Harry did so and jumped a little when he stared directly into Sorrow's midnight-blue eyes. She was still riding the broom, only she was flying upside down, directly underneath Harry. Her legs tightly around the broom so she wouldn't fall off.  
  
"Are you crazy?!?" He yelled at her, she smiled back, her face red from the blood rushing to her brain.  
  
"Yes", she answered with, craning her neck up so she could look at him, "I'm just having a bit of fun...ever made a nose-dive on your broom before?" She asked.  
  
"Yes", he answered truthfully.  
  
"Want to try it with two people?" She suggested, her smile becoming wider. Harry smiled too and couldn't help feel the excitement of the rush he was about to feel. Turning their brooms accordingly, the couple moved into a dead dive heading straight for the main street ground in Hogsmeade. About fifty feet from the ground, Sorrow stretched out her legs slightly.  
  
"Put your feet on mine!" She yelled, it was hard to hear anything over the wind. Harry had heard and complied, his knees bent. "Now push!" She instructed just as they were about to hit the ground. Using each other as leverage, they pushed off and pulled themselves back into the air to loop around and slow themselves down to hover next to each other.  
  
"That was wild!!" Sorrow exclaimed excitedly, trying to catch her breath. Harry was still gulping lung fulls of air, but nodded enthusiastically in response. "We better get these back", she suggested, as they headed slowly back down to the ground. Reentering the broom shop, the little shopkeeper looked at them with greed sparkling in his eyes. Sorrow handed him back the brooms and took back their money pouches.  
  
"Did you like them, Miss Jupiter?" He asked, very hopefully.  
  
"Well, I suppose they're nice, but I'd like a model that doesn't make me look fat", she said in the high-pitched voice. The shopkeeper's face fell, but brightened again when she tossed him a couple of coins, "for your trouble", she said and took Harry's arm to lead them out of the shop.  
  
Once again they were faced with the challenge of what to do.  
  
"Where do y'spose Ron is?" Sorrow asked suddenly, the same mischievous smile on her face.  
  
"Not sure?" Harry said, but walked towards Zonko's joke shop, Sorrow close on his heels in curiosity.  
  
They entered the shop to find the Weasley twins along with their friend Lee Jordan observing different objects in their hands. They looked up and noticed the newly arrived couple.  
  
"'Ello Harry, what brings you over here?" George asked, putting away the fake eyeball he was inspecting.  
  
"We're looking for Ron", Harry answered, Sorrow walked over to Fred to see what he was doing at the moment.  
  
"Dunno for sure, last I saw, Hermione was yellin' at him for drinking Firewhisky". That made sense, but Sorrow burst out laughing at something Lee did, so Harry decided to temporarily forget about the others.  
  
After fooling around in Zonko's for a while, Sorrow and Harry headed over to the Three Broomsticks to find Ron and Hermione bickering inside as usual.  
  
"Oh, those two sound like a married couple", Sorrow commented to Harry as they made their presence obvious to the two.  
  
"Where's Hotaru?" Harry asked, Ron ceased glaring at Hermione for a moment to answer.  
  
"Sitting over there with Ginny", Ron said, jerking his thumb irritably towards a different table.  
  
"Yeah, she didn't want to sit her and listen to us fighting", Hermione snapped.  
  
"We're not fighting, we're just having a disagreement", Ron growled, then handed a small napsack over to Harry. "You can have this back", he added before continuing his tift with Hermione. Hotaru motioned for Harry to join their table, but gave Sorrow a disapproving glance.  
  
"They've been going at it since we left the Hog's Head", Ginny said, twirling an empty butterbeer bottle on the table. "I'm bored, isn't there anything interesting to do around here?" She added suddenly, causing Sorrow to grin proudly.  
  
"Harry and I just raced around Hogsmeade on some brooms", she said, causing the others at the table to look up in interest.  
  
"How'd you swing that?" Ginny asked curiously.  
  
"It was rather brilliant..." Harry recalled the day's events out loud, then everyone got up and left the pub, leaving Hermione and Ron to argue. They were walking along the street when the Slytherin girl Pansy Parkinson passed by with some giggling girlfriends accompanying her.  
  
"Oh, there goes Tsukino-" she called out, "thought she could play with Draco for a bit just to make icky Harry Potter jealous", she said it out loud in conversation to her girlfriends who laughed in response. Hotaru lowered her gaze to the ground.  
  
"It's not true", she said quietly to nobody in particular.  
  
"Hey Airhead!" Sorrow suddenly had stopped and turned to yell at the back of Pansy's head. The Slytherin girls turned around as Sorrow approached them.  
  
"What do you want?" Pansy questioned in a very snotty tone, much like what Sorrow had used earlier.  
  
"An apology", Sorrow said before plowing her fist into Pansy's nose. Blood squirted out of the girl's nose as she burst out into tears, Sorrow glared darkly at the bewildered Slytherin girls before turning back to her own group.  
  
"Thanks", Hotaru mumbled.  
  
"Don't mention it", Sorrow answered with, even though the both of them were thinking, 'I still hate you'.  
  
"Where do you suppose I could get a good cup of coffee?" Sorrow asked after a few moments of awkward silence.  
  
"I know a place", said Ginny, a little sly look crossing her face. She led them along towards a small little shop and motioned for Sorrow to go inside. The rogue auror grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him inside. Nobody followed them.  
  
"We've been set up", Sorrow said as the door shut behind them. Inside it was a cramped steamy little place, everything decorated with frills and bows. Harry and Sorrow eyed each other in suspicion.  
  
"Hello dears! Welcome to Madam Puddifoots!" A stout black-haired woman ushered the couple to a small table, the last vacant one in the shop. "Now, what can I get you?" The woman asked as Harry and Sorrow awkwardly sat next to each other.  
  
"Coffee", Sorrow began, then turned to Harry, "you want one?" She asked, Harry nodded, "two", she said and breathed a sigh of annoyance as the little woman hurried away. "This place is making me sick", she said in disgust as a floating golden cherub tossed confetti on their heads.  
  
"Listen", Harry said, "here, I brought these for you", he opened the backpack pulling out an old piece of parchment and took out his wand. "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good", he mumbled, tapping the parchment with his wand. Little black dots appeared with names attached to them, Sorrow's eyes widened in wonder.  
  
"Wow, what is it?" She asked, watching a small label moving along a corridor.  
  
"It's called the Marauder's Map, it'll help you sneak into the school. Harry handed Sorrow the map as she watched it with great interest. She put it down on her lap when Madam Puddifoot brought their coffees. After she left, Harry handed Sorrow the napsack and taught her how to 'turn off' the map.  
  
"What's in here?" She asked, stuffing the map into the bag.  
  
"My invisibility cloak", he answered. A look of absolute adoring crossed Sorrow's face as she smiled sweetly at him.  
  
"I was wondering how I'd sneak into that school", she said, her voice quieter now. Tucking the backpack beside her, she reached for the sugar bowl, the silver charm bracelet on her wrist jingling prettily.  
  
"You still have that?" Harry reached for the bracelet to examine it. Sorrow nodded slowly and let Harry unconsciously take her hand. He noticed and immediately withdrew his hand, blushing wildly.  
  
Knowing he felt uncomfortable, Sorrow gulped down the cup of coffee and the couple promptly left the little shop to walk along the street again.  
  
"So how is your occlumency going?" Sorrow asked curiously, trying to break the mood.  
  
"I hate it", Harry said, truthfully, "Snape had just gotten meaner and meaner since they sacked the Japanese staff."  
  
"Hm. Well make sure you pay attention, 'cause it's important".  
  
"I know, I know", Harry sighed in defeat.  
  
"Listen, Harry, I should get going", Sorrow said after a minute of silence, she slung the napsack over her back. Harry knew it was time for him to go back to the school as well, he knew he'd have to go find Ron and Hermione. The couple stopped near the entrance back to Hogwarts, they turned to look at each other.  
  
"See you soon?" Harry said, receiving a nod in reply, Sorrow took a hesitant look around them to spot any onlookers. When she was sure there were none, she launched herself into Harry's arms and kissed him with a skill that a fifteen year old girl shouldn't have had any business having. Harry was very unsure of himself at the moment, but as soon as he started to respond, Sorrow pulled back and bit a quick farewell.  
  
"There you are, Harry!" Ron called out, rushing up to Harry, "nice moves", he complimented motioning towards Sorrow's retreating form. Harry's face was now the color of Ron's hair.  
  
::::  
  
The first meeting was set a little over a week after Hogsmeade and all the students who had signed their name on Hermione's list were secretly anticipating what the rogue auror would teach them. At eight o'clock Hermione, Ron, Harry and Hotaru had made it to the painting Sorrow had described on the seventh floor and waited for her arrival. Sure enough, she was right next to them when she pulled off the cloak, half-scaring the others out of their wits.  
  
"Mischief managed", she said, tapping her ivory-colored wand on the Marauder's Map. "This is so very useful", she complimented to noone in particular.  
  
"So, how do we get into the room?" Ron asked after Sorrow tucked the map away.  
  
"Walk past the painting three times and think really hard about what you need", Sorrow instructed. The five of them did so, and upon their third passing, a large door appeared on the wall. "Brilliant", Sorrow said as she opened the door.  
  
Walking inside, everyone's eyes widened at the sight. The room had been filled with various books and artefacts that would assist the learning of defense. Sorrow fell back playfully on one of the pillows on the floor and laughed.  
  
A knock on the door alerted them to a group of students who quietly entered and were soon followed by several others. As soon as everyone on the list showed up, Sorrow locked the door and removed the key.  
  
"This room was only a broom cupboard when we used it to hide from Filch", one of the Weasley twins commented.  
  
"Alright", said Sorrow loudly, gaining everyone's attention, "we only have one hour, so let's make good use for it, hm?" She suggested. Everyone's eyes rested on the shabby-dressed auror as she took out her wand.  
  
"Wait", Hermione interrupted suddenly, Sorrow raised an eyebrow", shouldn't we have a name for the group?" She asked, Sorrow raised her other eyebrow.  
  
"Why?" She asked impatiently.  
  
"It would make this feel more official", Hermione said, "any suggestions?"  
  
"How 'bout the Anit-Umbridge league?" Suggested Angelina Johnson.  
  
"The Ministry of Magic are Morons Group?" Suggested Fred.  
  
"It needs to be something nobody can tell what we're talking about", Hermione said.  
  
"How about Training Aurors?" Sorrow suggested, since she had basically taken on a bunch of apprentices. "The TA for short?"  
  
"But make it stand for Tsukino's Army, instead, we're doing this for her, aren't we?" Ginny added, everyone else sounded their agreement.  
  
"All in favor of Tsukino's Army?" Hermione asked in an official-sounding voice. It was unanimous.   
  
"Alright, now that's settled, let's get back to business", Sorrow said while looking at everyone. "Why don't we start with something easy?" She suggested, "how about disarming spells. You should've learned some of this stuff during your dueling tournament-thingy."  
  
"Not all of us were in it", said Neville, several other students were the same.  
  
"Alright, let's start with Experlliarmus then, pair up, those who know how to do it with those who don't." Sorrow motioned for Neville to pair up with her, since she was probably the most experienced out of everyone.  
  
Over the next little while, disarming charms were being used on everyone and everything in the room and by the time an hour had passed, everyone had basically mastered 'experlliarmus'. People were having so much fun, that it came as to a shock when somebody noticed it was ten after nine.  
  
"Alright, everybody better hurry back to their dormitories", Sorrow said as she pulled out the Marauders Map, "the next meeting will be next Wednesday". Sending students three at a time, she made sure everyone got back to their own rooms before donning the cloak and making her own escape. It seemed the TA would be a success.  
  
::::  
  
Two months passed by quickly, Sirius didn't seem to feel so confined in Grimmauld Place with the company he was keeping. Sirius had visited Harry two months previous through the fire to discover the rogue auror they had met during the Christmas holidays had organized an illegal organization at Hogwarts. What made Sirius so proud was the fact Harry had helped her organize it. It was two months later, however, that Harry had appeared in the fire to reveal Snape had stopped teaching him occlumency. Sirius wasn't the only one furious to hear this, Usagi was the one most ticked-off. Now she was not only mad at Severus, she also felt the impact of not being at Hogwarts even more.  
  
Usagi was sweeping up after herself one afternoon in the kitchen when the wood of the handle decided to split and dig into her skin. She let out a howl of pain when she discovered a sliver stuck deep into her finger. Sirius rushed into the kitchen, wand at the ready.  
  
"What is it?!" He demanded, ready to shoot down any intruders. Usagi turned and looked at him with tearful eyes.  
  
"I've got a sliver", she said simply and held out her finger. Sirius gave a sigh of relief and tucked away his wand.  
  
"I thought you were being attacked or something", Sirius said, taking a seat at the kitchen table, he patted a seat near him, Usagi sat down as Sirius examined her finger.  
  
"Ow!" She yelled. Sirius looked up at her.  
  
"I haven't done anything yet", he said, Usagi glared at him.  
  
"Ow!" She yelled out again as he applied pressure to her finger.  
  
Outside in the hallway, Severus had entered the house in search of Usagi when he heard loud voices coming from the kitchen.  
  
"It hurts!"  
  
"It doesn't hurt."  
  
"How would you know, it's in me", Severus stopped mid-step, he had just heard Usagi and Sirius.  
  
"Oh, it's a big one!" Usagi said. Severus's eyes narrowed as he opened the kitchen door.  
  
"Black!" He bellowed angrily, then saw Sirius and Usagi look up at him in surprise. They were sitting at the kitchen table, the sliver finally removed.  
  
"What are you doing here, Snivellus?" Sirius questioned, standing up and growling at the Potions Master, "what do you mean by not teaching Harry occlumency anymore?" Sirius pulled out his wand defensively, Severus doing the same.  
  
"It's of no concern of yours, Black", Severus replied waspishly. "What were you doing with her?" He added, anger etched all over his face.  
  
"Stop it! The both of you!" Usagi quickly stood from her seated position and moved between the two men. She glared darkly at Severus.  
  
"He helped me with my sliver", she said, showing him the red dot on her finger, "and I want to know the same thing. Why did you throw Harry out, hm?" She asked. Severus was a little taken aback by her temper.  
  
"He didn't mind his own business", Severus cooly replied, Sirius snorted.  
  
"Look who's talking", he said, the two men sent each other death glares. "You still haven't said why you're here", Sirius added.  
  
"Because you interrupted me".  
  
"Stop!" Usagi held up her hands, "answer the question", she ordered, still glaring at Severus. He took a deep calming breath and tried his best not to hex Sirius.  
  
"The Headmistress has need of your services", he replied, his eyes not leaving Sirius's.  
  
"What services?" Usagi questioned.  
  
"I don't know", Severus said unblinkingly, "all I know is she wants you back at the school. Now." Usagi gently pushed Sirius away, towards the table, he sat obediently and looked at her in uncertainty.  
  
"Okay", she said, "let's go". Severus smirked towards Sirius in triumph, he moved to take her arm and escort her out, but she jerked it out of reach, glaring at him the whole time. "You know, I find it real hard to love you sometimes", she hissed before leaving the kitchen. Severus turned to look at Sirius again, who's eyebrows were raised in surprise. Once again, the Potions Master had nothing to say as he followed Usagi out.   
  
::::  
  
A/N: Again, sooooo sorry for not updating regularly, but life has been too much of a hassle. Btw, for those who've been reading my YGO cross, I will be updating, my imouto's been editing it. Next chapter of this fic, will be the end of the fifth year, it'll have lots of explanations left unmade. 


	11. The Proposal

::::Disclaimer: I'm using direct quotes from Book 5, spoiler alert! I do not own Harry Potter, or Sailor Moon  
  
::::AN: Oh Please oh please oh please oh please...I soooo wish I could make the 200 review mark...please make me happyyyyy!!!! BTW, stand by for an AN at the end of the fic, I've got some things to discuss with my faithful readers...  
  
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As soon as they reached the school, Usagi headed straight for the Great Hall, knowing dinner time was about to end. Students turned to see her enter with a look of both surprise and joy written all over their faces. Umbridge pretended not to notice the princess had indeed arrived. Usagi moved quickly along the Gryffindor table and noticed right away that Hotaru was sitting next to Hermione.  
  
"Okaasan!" Hotaru said as her foster mother approached, "how did you get back in?"  
  
"I haven't found out yet", Usagi replied, taking a weary glance towards Umbridge, who still didn't acknowledge her presence. Hotaru moved from her seat to hug her foster mother, Hermione stood and hugged the blond as well.  
  
"I'm glad you missed me", Usagi whispered for only those sitting closest could hear.  
  
"More than you know", Harry said, getting up to hug her as well. Usagi pulled away and took Harry's arm, looking at the back of his hand and the raw scarring on it.  
  
"What's this all about?" She questioned, looking worriedly at him, Harry took a quick glance towards Umbridge. "Did she do this to you?" Usagi pressed on, Harry nodded slowly.  
  
"Detention", he said, "or some brutal form of it".  
  
"I'll say", said Usagi, taking his hand and brushing her lips against it to heal the wound. She stumbled for a second, then took back her balance.  
  
Dinner had finished as students moved out of the Great Hall, several surrounded Usagi and talked excitedly to her.  
  
"She wouldn't let you play Quidditch?" Usagi asked in disbelief as the Weasley twins recalled several mishaps since the princess had left.  
  
"The crazy old bat's locked up our brooms", Fred continued, "she's even got Harry's Firebolt all chained up and everything. Usagi had her arm around Harry's shoulder, she gave him a protective squeeze.  
  
"At least you haven't been expelled", Usagi pointed out, both twins laughed in response.  
  
"We wouldn't care if she did", George commented dryly. "By the way", he added after a moment, "if you decided to pop around the kitchens any time soon, Dobby's been looking for you".  
  
"Thanks for the reminder", Usagi replied, and gave the twins a wink. Knowing she was expected in Umbridge's office, she bid everyone a quick good-night and headed off in the desired direction. The knight Sir Cadogan she had met earlier that school year, followed along part of the way, saying how glad everyone was that she was back.  
  
Knocking on the door to announce her presence, Umbridge gave her a sappily sweet 'come in' as Usagi entered the office, she turned her face away from the collection of plates as the tacky multi-colored kittens were curling up to go to sleep.  
  
"Won't you please have a seat", Umbridge asked sweetly, Usagi shook her head. "I've brought you back here for disciplinary reasons. I want you to regain some order in this school, since many students have seen to it that they break rules constantly. However, since you are on probation, you will not be allowed to carry your wand." She held out a stubby little hand as Usagi reluctantly gave her the ebony-colored wand glaring the whole time. "Just as a precaution", Umbridge said, smiling sweetly towards the princess. Placing the wand in the desk, Umbridge sat back down behind her desk. "That is all for now", she said, Usagi left the office and continuously ranted inside of her head about how much she hated that woman.  
  
Deciding it was a good time to do as the Weasley twins mentioned, Usagi headed down for the kitchens after she spent a little time making sure her old room was in order. She tickled the pear and lifted her money pouch from a pocket in her robes. The house-elves didn't seem to care much about her presence, but offered her food, of which she accepted with much enthusiasm. After a minute or two, little Dobby hobbled over to her, his eyes wide with happiness.  
  
"Headmistress had returned!" Dobby squeaked happily, "Dobby does not like new Headmistress, Dobby thinks she is bad, bad lady". After saying that comment, the house elf proceeded to hit his head on a nearby wall.  
  
"Dobby, stop hurting yourself!" Usagi said, moving to pull the elf away from anything he could hit himself with. Handing him a coin, she patted the small creature affectionately on the head as he admired his payment.  
  
"Dobby wonders if Headmistress has seen Harry Potter yet?" Dobby asked after a few moments of silence, "Harry Potter has used special room for Headmistress, yes", he said. Usagi rose an eyebrow.  
  
"Special room?" She questioned, the house elf nodded vigorously, "is he there now?" She wondered out loud, growing suspicious.  
  
"Dobby will take you there, if you like", Dobby said after nodding again.  
  
"Yes, how me where he is", Usagi said, as Dobby led the way out of the kitchens and up several flights of stairs until they reached the seventh floor and crossed the painting of Barnabas the Barmy.  
  
"Harry Potter is in here!" Dobby squeaked, but had the lunarian princess confused as she didn't see any room. "Headmistress needs to walk past room three times and think of what she needs. Headmistress will then see door of Room of Requirement!"  
  
Looking skeptical at Dobby for a moment, Usagi did as she was instructed and sure enough a door appeared upon her third passing. She went to open the door, but it was locked. Knocking lightly, she waited for someone to answer the door. Within a split second, Harry had lurched open the door and plowed into Usagi's arms.  
  
"I knew Dobby would lead you up here", he exclaimed excitedly. "I'm so glad you're back, Umbridge is so horrible!" Usagi hugged Harry joyfully, but pushed him back towards the door.  
  
"Let's talk somewhere private", she said, but stopped to send Dobby off first.  
  
All of the other students in the room crowded around Usagi excitedly asking her more questions about why she was allowed back.  
  
"Umbridge probably figures I'll lead her to this room and get you all in trouble. Obviously she's caught wind of this group somehow". All the students looked wearily at one another, but nobody had 'sneak' written on their faces, so Umbridge hadn't been tipped off by a member of the TA.  
  
"Bloody hell!" Sorrow spoke up after a minute of silent accusations, "that girlfriend of yours", she said, pointing at Cho Chang.  
  
"She couldn't have", Cho insisted, but Marietta Edgecombe was the only TA member not present. Sorrow glared evilly at Cho.  
  
"I think this will be the last meeting of your club". Usagi said. At that moment, Dobby had come back into the room in a frantic mood.  
  
"They're coming, Headmistress! Dobby has seen them coming!" Everyone looked at the door, frightened.  
  
"Is it Umbridge, Dobby?" Harry asked, the house elf nodded.  
  
"What are you waiting for?!? RUN!!!" Sorrow shouted as all the students rushed for the door, running out in the hallway in every direction. Sorrow was about to bolt too, but Usagi grabbed her arm as well as Harry's.  
  
"Here", she said, strapping her communicator onto Sorrow's wrist, "this was mine to use anytime the senshi and I needed to talk". She quickly strapped a green communicator onto Harry's wrist, flipped the lid and showed them how to use it. "Now go!" She prompted Sorrow who thanked her and put on the invisibility cloak to make her escape. Usagi and Harry left the room as well and made a mad dash down the hallway. They could hear footsteps not too far behind them and as they came near the corner, Usagi's foot twisted and sent her tumbling to the floor. Harry immediately stopped to help her, and looked up to realize Draco Malfoy had caught up to them.  
  
"I found them!" He shouted out gleefully as he and Harry began a glaring match.  
  
"Harry", Usagi whispered fiercely, "hide your communicator", Harry quickly did so as others approached.  
  
"Excellent Draco!" Umbridge said rather breathlessly, her face spread in a wide smile of triumph.  
  
::::  
  
They had gone up to Dumbledore's office as he had been summoned to meet there. Cornelius Fudge stood near the desk with Percy Weasley poised to take notes behind him. Usagi and Dumbledore silently communicated to each other as Umbridge escorted Marietta into the office, who was covering her face with her hands.  
  
"This young lady is the one who told us what Potter was doing, she informed Fudge who nodded while observing everyone in the office.  
  
Kingsley Shacklebolt and a rather large wizard stood near Fudge, their expressions unreadable.  
  
"Excellent, excellent. Well Potter, do you know why you're here?" He directed at Harry, who had glanced at the silent conversation going on between Usagi and Dumbledore, the latter of whom looked at Harry for a fraction of a second and slightly moved his head.  
  
"No", Harry answered after a second.  
  
"You don't know why you're here?" Fudge asked.  
  
"No", Harry repeated. Fudge glared at Usagi as a smudge of a smirk crossed her lips.  
  
"You are not aware that you have broken any school rules?" Asked Fudge, beginning to get quite frustrated.  
  
"No", Harry said again.  
  
"So it's news to both yourself and Miss Tsukino that an illegal student organization has been discovered within the school?"  
  
"Yes it is", Harry said, Usagi shrugged her shoulders innocently.  
  
"Minister, Miss Edgecombe told me tonight that if I proceeded to a secret room on the seventh floor, a secret meeting would be taking place."  
  
"Well well well", Fudge said, "well miss-galloping gargoyles!" Marietta looked up, her face was completely disfigured by a close-set of purple pustules that spread across her face to form the word 'sneak'. She gave a wail and pulled the neck of her robes up to her eyes to hide her face.  
  
"Never mind the spots, dear, tell the Minister-" Marietta gave another muffled wail and shook her head. "Anyways", Umbridge continued, "unfortunately at the point she mentioned the meeting, this hex", she waved a Marietta's face, "came into operation and upon seeing her face in the mirror, she became too distressed to say any more."  
  
"Well, you did the right thing, dear", Fudge said, smiling at Marietta, "now tell me what happened at this meeting?" The girl shook her head, refusing to speak. "Isn't there a counter-jinx for this?" He demanded.  
  
"I haven't found one yet", Umbridge admitted, "I will take up the story from here", she continued, "don't you remember there was a report, that the rogue auror Sorrow, had arranged a meeting with Potter and some other Hogwarts students?"  
  
"How do you know that?" Usagi cut in, sharply.  
  
"I have a testimony from Willy Widdershins, he was bandaged but his hearing was quite unimpaired", Umbridge smugly replied.  
  
"If you would remember", Dumbledore cut in, causing everyone to look at him, "this meeting took place before the new rule was created, therefore it was not, at the time, illegal." Fudge stared at Dumbledore, his face red.  
  
"Well, that one may not have been", Umbridge cut in sweetly, "but meetings since were done illegally."   
  
"Do you have any evidence there were any more meetings?" Dumbledore asked, at the same time Usagi and Harry felt something brush against their sides, they had both sworn to themselves that Kingsley had whispered something.  
  
"That is why Miss Edgecombe is here", Umbridge pointed out.  
  
"I was under the impression she was merely reporting a meeting tonight", Dumbledore pointed out, his eyebrows raised.  
  
Umbridge began asking Marietta several questions about the ongoing meetings, but the young girl merely shook her head to answer each one. Umbridge became furious, she proceeded to seize Marietta and shook her very hard. Dumbledore stood from his seat and rose his wand. Umbridge leapt back, rasing her hands in the air.  
  
"I don't want my students manhandled, Dolores", Dumbledore said.  
  
"Dolores", said Fudge, "the meeting tonight-the one we know definitely happened."  
  
"Yes, of course", she began, "well, as you know, I had Miss Slytherin", Usagi hissed at her, "allowed back into the school on probation for disciplinary reasons. Anyways, as she has come to favor Potter, I suspected if what Miss Edgecombe had told me was true, I knew Miss Slytherin would know about it. I was right as a group of trustworthy students found these two leaving the Room of Requirement. Inside, one of the students found this", she held out Hermione's piece of parchment. Harry took a sharp intake of breath.  
  
"It appears the auror, Sorrow, has somehow been sneaking into the school in order to teach students curses and jinxes they have no business knowing. And look what they've called themselves, 'Tsukino's Army'." After finishing Fudge backed up and looked towards Usagi, a horrified look written all over his face.  
  
"It was my idea", Dumbledore cut in, causing everyone to look at him in utter surprise.  
  
"You?!" Fudge asked, Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"That's right", he said.  
  
"You recruited students for this?" He continued.  
  
"The name was chosen in honor of Usagi, she had absolutely no idea I had been planning this. Tonight was supposed to be the first meeting, merely to see if students would be interested in learning for young Sorrow. I see now that it was a mistake to invite Miss Edgecombe, of course." Marietta nodded, Fudge looked furious.  
  
"Then you have been plotting against me all this time!" He yelled.  
  
"That's right", Dumbledore said cheerfully.  
  
"NO!" Harry yelled, Usagi gave him a warning glance.  
  
"Be quiet Harry, or you will have to leave my office", Dumbledore said calmly.  
  
"Yes, shut up Potter!" Fudge shouted, "I knew it! You had Miss Tsukino to fill in for you so you could plot against me! You were behind everything from the beginning."  
  
"So you get to arrest me, then?" Dumbledore said smiling.  
  
"Weasley? Have you taken down his confession?"  
  
"Yes sir", Percy answered quickly.  
  
"Send a second copy to the Prophet, then we'll get him formally charged and sent to Azkaban to await trial".  
  
"Yes, well, I will not be going, ah, 'quietly' as you would say, I think it would be a waste of time to go to Azkaban. I could break out, of course, but there are better things I could be doing in that time." Umbridge's face had turned red, Fudge had a rather odd expression on his face. The auror called Dawlish went to reach for his pocket.  
  
"Don't be silly, Dawlish", said Dumbledore, "if you attempt to-er-bring me by force, I will have to hurt you".  
  
"Enough of this foolishness!" Fudge barked, pulling out his own wand, "Dawlish, Shacklebolt! Take him!"  
  
A streak of silver light flashed around the room; there was a bang like a gunshot and the floor trembled; Usagi forced Harry and Marietta down on the floor as a second silver flash went off; several of the portraits in the room yelled, Fawkes screeched and a cloud of dust filled the air. Several more noises sounded and then there was silence.  
  
"Are you alright?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Yes", said Usagi, helping Harry and Marietta up. Fudge, Umbridge, Kingsley and Dawlish lay motionless on the floor.  
  
"Unfortunately, I had to hex Kingsley too, or it would have looked very suspicious", Dumbledore said quietly, "make sure you think Kingsley for altering Miss Edgecombe's mind for me", he directed towards Usagi.  
  
"I will, thank you Albus, it seems I owe you another wizard's boon now, hm?" She said, Dumbledore smiled and headed for the fireplace, he turned to look at Harry. "I'm aware you've stopped receiving occlumency lessons, but I want you to practice as hard as you can, clear your mind every night!" Dumbledore warned, Harry nodded.  
  
Those still on the floor began to stir as Dumbledore left in a flourish of emerald flames.  
  
"Where is he?!" Fudge demanded, looking around at the destroyed office. Usagi shrugged her shoulders. "You are lucky, Miss Tsukino", Fudge growled, "it seems it's the end of your friend, Dumbledore", he said.  
  
"You think so?" Usagi asked, her eyebrows raised. Fudge growled again, "you should get those two off to bed". Usagi didn't take a second glance as she ushered Harry and Marietta out of the office.  
  
::::  
  
"So Dumbledore saved your butts, huh?" Sorrow asked, her face shining up at Harry from Makoto's communicator on his wrist.  
  
"Yeah, but what are we gonna do now? Umbridge has Madam Tsukino's wand...I wish I could talk to Sirius". Harry said with a sigh.  
  
"Did somebody say Sirius?" The voice of Fred called out, he sat down next to Harry on the Common Room couch, "all right, Sorrow?" He said to the screen.  
  
"Hi Fred! Heard about those fireworks of yours, nice work!" She replied, smiling up at him.  
  
"Anyways, Harry, you said something about Sirius?"  
  
"Yeah, says he wants to talk to him", Sorrow said rather loudly.  
  
"Talk to who?" George asked, he, Ginny and Ron approached the couch as well.  
  
"Sirius", Sorrow answered, trying to figure out who that was.  
  
"Hi Sorrow!" Neville called out, he was bothering Hermione for revision notes.  
  
"Hi Neville!" Sorrow answered back as Neville peered over Harry's shoulder to look at the screen.  
  
"Brilliant commu-cater-thingy", said Ron.  
  
"So you want to talk to Sirius?" Asked Fred, stretching out his legs onto the table.  
  
"Yeah", said Harry sighing.  
  
"Are you crazy?" Hermione shouted, then lowered her voice, "the only fire you could use is Umbridge's".  
  
"Well, that's no problem", George said, "all you need is just a little bit of a diversion".  
  
"What sort of a diversion?" Hermione asked suspiciously.  
  
"It's a surprise", Fred answered.  
  
"Are-you-insane?!" Shouted Hermione again, looking at Harry.  
  
"It would be no problem at all", George cut in.  
  
"Sounds like fun!" Sorrow called up to Harry, who flashed a smile at her.  
  
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June seemed to sneak up on everyone so quickly, fifth years didn't realize their OWLs were upon them until teachers started revision in classes instead of learning new things. The Weasley twins' swamp incident was becoming an infamous legend which would no-doubt be remembered for years to come in Hogwarts.  
  
After Harry's chat with Sirius, he still had not bothered to approach Snape about getting more occlumency lessons. Not only that, but Snape had increasingly become more miserable since (Hotaru had briefly mentioned) he was fighting with Usagi. Only Hermione seemed to pick up the hint, but neither girl bothered to explain to the confused Harry and Ron. Usagi's bad mood had mainly been brought on by the intentional absence of Dumbledore since he had become an outlaw of the Ministry.  
  
They were sitting in the Great Hall for breakfast when Ron felt his stomach give a painful lurch, refusing him the pleasure of the bacon and eggs sitting on a plate in front of him. Hermione looked up from a book she was studying and rose her eyebrows.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked, both Harry and Hotaru were too busily eating their own breakfast to take notice. Ron gave Hermione a weary glance.  
  
"Quidditch cup final today", he whined, "make sure you're there to laugh at me when we lose". Since none of them bothered to try and cheer him up, breakfast continued on without any more conversation.  
  
The stands filled up rather quickly as students fought for the better seats, Harry, Hermione and Hotaru ended up farther back, but it didn't seem to bother them much.  
  
"Psst!" Called out a quiet, indiscreet voice as a female Gryffindor student moved up from behind them. Harry turned around, his eyes widened.  
  
"Sorrow?" He asked, she was dressed in the Gryffindor robes, except she still wore her favorite black bandana.  
  
"Thought I might come and see Ron make an ass of himself", she said, winking. She slid in next to Hermione and gazed excitedly out at the Quidditch Pitch.  
  
"You must truly have a mental illness", commented Hermione, Sorrow flashed her a mischievous smile. "Where'd you get the uniform?" Hermione inquired nonchalantly.  
  
"Borrowed it, or stole it?" Hotaru asked, the two girls flashed a glare at one another before their attention was adverted towards the teams taking flight.  
  
It wasn't five minutes into the game before Ron let in Ravenclaw's first goal, some Slytherin's proceeded to sing a chorus of 'Weasley is our King', Sorrow laughed.  
  
"What a stupid song!" She commented loudly.  
  
"You know, it's very dangerous for you to be here", Hotaru shot out at Sorrow, who didn't bother losing her concentration.  
  
"Shut it, Tsukino, you're ruining my fun", she shot out of the side of her mouth.  
  
"Harry, Hermione, Hotaru!" Came a fierce whisper from below, the four sitting there turned to see Hagrid below the stands, "come down 'ere", he requested, as the small group reluctantly pushed their way down the stands. "'ello there, miss, er?"  
  
"Sorrow", she cheerfully replied as they followed the half-giant away from the Quidditch Pitch.  
  
"So yer Harry's lady friend, then?" He asked, again receiving a cheerful reply in return.  
  
"Where are you taking us?" Hermione asked, feeling very apprehensive at that particular moment.  
  
"Got somethin' to show yeh", Hagrid replied as they moved towards the Forbidden Forest. The students couldn't help feel a pang of fear, Sorrow's footsteps kept up with Hagrid's as she was rather excited.  
  
They followed along the tress for a ways until they reached a clearing deep in the heart of the forest. Laying down, tied up to a couple of large deep rooted trees, was a bulk of hair and what appeared to be cloth. Whatever the creature was, it was breathing rather heavily, a distant heavy rumbling.  
  
"You brought a giant into the forest?" Sorrow asked, taking out her wand just in case.  
  
"Well, he's my brother...er, 'alf-brother", said Hagrid. The others stared at him for a moment.  
  
"Why would you bring him back here?" Hermione asked, moving a little closer to Sorrow who kept her eyes unblinkingly on Hagrid's brother.  
  
"I couldn' leave 'im there! They were bullyin' 'im, you see? He's jus' so small!"  
  
"Small!?" Hermion said, brushing her arm against Sorrow's, "small?!"  
  
"Well, after me mom left me dad, she wen' an' had Grawp 'ere. He don't speak a lot o' English, I've been tryin' the teach him. Anyway, me mom din' seem to like 'im tha' much, Giantesses like ter 'ave good big kids, he's a bit runty fer a giant-on'y sixteen foot-"  
  
"Tiny?!" Squeaked Hotaru.  
  
"They were kickin' 'im around- I couldn' leave him-"  
  
"Did Madam Maxime want to bring him back?" asked Harry.  
  
"Well, she got tired o' him after awhile, so we split up on the journey home..."  
  
"How did you sneak him in here?" Asked Sorrow, feeling rather excited again.  
  
"Could on'y travel by nigh', but he keeps wantin' ter go back".  
  
"Hagrid, why didn't you let him?" Hermione asked, holding tightly to Sorrow's arm, "what are you going to do with him?"  
  
"Well, he's gettin' loads better, settlin' down well". The four students noticed Grawp was tied with rather large ropes, tied to the trunks of near by trees.  
  
"What is it you want us to do?" Hermione asked, her grip tightening on Sorrow.  
  
"Look after him", said Hagrid. "After I'm gone, yeh see, it won't be long now before I'm sacked-"  
  
The students eyed each other wearily.  
  
"And do what exactly?" Hotaru asked.  
  
"Keep 'im company, jus' somebody to teach 'im, just' talk to 'im a bit".  
  
"Erm, well, we'll try, Hagrid", said Harry, sighing in defeat. Hagrid gave a great big smile.  
  
"Thanks", he said, then picked up a rather large branch, "I'll introduce yeh", he moved towards the sleeping giant, ignoring the protests sounding behind him. "Wake up, Grawpy, I've got visitors fer yeh!" He poked Grawp until the giant gave a loud noise of protest. It took Grawp a few moments to wake up completely, he stood and stared at the four students with large mud-colored eyes. "I brough' some friends fer yeh, to teach yeh English", Hagrid informed his half-brother. "This is Harry Potter", he said, motioning towards Harry, "do yeh mind if he calls yeh Hermy?" He asked Hermione, who shook her head meekly behind Sorrow, Hagrid turned back to Grawp, "tha' is Hermy, Hotaru and, erm, Sorrow". Grawp moved to grab Sorrow, who held out her wand threateningly. "NO! Bad Grawpy! Bad! OUCH!" Grawp had knocked Hagrid down, then lost interest and proceeded to try and uproot one of the trees he was rooted to. Hagrid pushed himself back up and moved towards the students, "well I think tha's enough fer today, I'll take yeh back now". Nobody protested as they left the clearing, Hagrid readying his crossbow along the way. They stopped when they heard movement nearby.  
  
"Hello there, Magorian", Hagrid greeted quietly as a centaur made his way into the clearing.   
  
"I thought we told you not to come in here, human", Magorian spoke, glaring towards Hagrid who frowned darkly in return.  
  
"Human now? Jus' fer helpin' Firenze".  
  
"Firenze is a traitor, he entered the servitude of humans."  
  
"He's jus' doin' Dumbledore a favor", Hagrid argued, but it was no use. A few more centaurs entered the clearing, the black bodied Bane moved beside Magorian.  
  
"You are no longer welcome here", Bane said, readying his bow and arrow.  
  
"Don't you dare touch them", came the voice of Usagi as she entered the scene, white wings spread at full expanse. Both Bane and Magorian took a hesitant step backwards, then bent their front knees in a bow, the rest of the centaurs doing likewise.  
  
"Princess..." said Magorian, "we will let them pass today". Usagi stood in front of Hagrid and crossed her arms over her chest, giving her wings an irritated flick.  
  
"You will never touch these people, do you understand?" Usagi threatened, "otherwise, you will answer to me". Bane was struggling to not retaliate, both centaurs quietly rose and motioned for the group to leave, a gallop of hooves sounded as the small herd left the clearing. Usagi turned and smiled up at Hagrid "whew", she said, "that was close".  
  
"Thank yeh so much!" Hagrid said in relief, as the group made their way out of the forest. Usagi put her arm around Hermione, who was still rather frightened, Usagi looked towards Sorrow who was now holding hands with Harry.  
  
"You like risks, don't you?" She asked, her wings retreating into her back, Sorrow smiled shyly.  
  
"It was worth it, even though I wasn't expecting this little detour. Nice trick with the wings, Princess", Sorrow commented, causing Usagi to laugh in response.  
  
"I think the game is done", said Hagrid, glancing towards the students leaving the Quidditch Pitch.  
  
"Oh no", Hermione sighed, they could hear a chorus of 'Weasley is our King'.  
  
"Wait a minute", Hotaru said, pointing towards the crowd, "those aren't Slytherins chanting, listen closer". They did, and as the voices grew louder, they heard the change in lyrics, a bunch of Gryffindors were carrying Ron on their shoulders.  
  
"Go ahead", whispered Usagi as she gave the students a small push. The four of them pushed their way through the crowd, Ron was all smiles and looked down on them.  
  
"Can you believe it?!" He yelled over the chanting, holding the Quidditch Cup, "We won!" The crowd carried Ron into the Entrance Hall, bumping his head along the way.   
  
"I've got to get outta' here before somebody sees me", Sorrow said, a happy smile spread across her face.  
  
"Why?" Said Harry, "you could probably get into the Common Room without anybody noticing".  
  
"Nice try", Sorrow replied slyly, kissing Harry on the cheek, "study hard", she waved as the other three headed back into the school, busy contemplating when they would break the news to Ron.  
  
::::  
  
Hotaru sat on the end of the couch as Snape made the anti-cheating announcement before the exams were about to start. The senshi of Saturn took a large sigh as she eyed her parchment with her exam schedule written on it. She absolutely hated the fact she was sitting there right now, she wondered if she'd ever confront Snape about his relationship with her mother...what would he do? Looking up at the Potions Master caused her to think about the raven-haired auror who had gone as far to pretend to be a student just to see Harry. She was very jealous of the girl, but taking a quick glance at Draco made it clear it was all her own fault she hadn't snagged Harry when she had the chance. Bad luck seemed to run in her family, considering the love of her foster-mother's life was now a Death Eater.  
  
"That is all", Snape finished, turning and leaving with a billow of his black robes. Hotaru headed up to the dormitory to put away her books, and head off to the Great Hall for breakfast. She already knew what everyone in her house thought of her sitting at the Gryffindor table, but she didn't care, she was used to solitude.  
  
Sitting beside Hermione, she was doing last-minute revising, Hotaru attempted to eat some breakfast. The meal seemed to buzz by quickly and afterwards fifth and seventh-years gathered at the Great Hall entrance to begin their exams (the Great Hall rearranged with several desks). Hotaru sat not too far from Harry who was in a row next to her, they gave each other good-luck looks before the examiner told them to begin. Hotaru looked at the first question.  
  
a) give the incantation and b) describe the wand movement required to make objects fly. Hotaru smiled to herself as she remembered her foster-mother sending Professor Flitwick across the room.  
  
Exams went fairly smoothly over the next couple of days, Defense Against the Dark Arts was rather easy for those who had lessons from Sorrow, or had participated in the dueling club. Hotaru was still rather nervous, however, when she was called into the Great Hall for examination. She proved to do the spells quite well, the examiner was nearly finished when he brought up her special ability.  
  
"I heard that you're one of those Sailor people from Japan?" The examiner's face flushed red in shame, but he leaned forward, "show me a little trick?" He requested, "for a bonus?" Hotaru hesitated, knowing better than to 'show off' the powers she had, but she stood back a few steps and summoned her glaive. Twirling the glaive, she brought the tip down on the ground, causing a stream of purple energy to split a crack the length of the floor.   
  
"Silence", Hotaru whispered, emanating a sound wave, breaking a few of the windows. Hotaru's examiner looked at her in complete awe. "Yes...excellent, you may go", he said as other examiners stopped what they were doing to fix the damage.  
  
She left the Great Hall to meet up with Hermione and Harry who had already been tested.  
  
"I think I passed", Hotaru mumbled dryly as they sat to wait for Ron.  
  
They spent most of the weekend together in the library studying for potions, they all missed Ami's presence quite a lot since she was more lenient than the one sitting in for her. The Potions exam proved to be the most difficult thus far, it came as somewhat of a relief that Care of Magical Creatures was the next exam. The Drake bird they had worked with early that school year was part of the practical examination. Hotaru panicked as she had not bothered to study for this subject.  
  
"Tell me, what is the primary food choice for the Drake bird?" The examiner asked Hotaru, who stared blankly, she had no idea.  
  
"Erm...mandrakes?" She made the guess based on the similar name, the examiner made a mark on the parchment.  
  
"Correct, you may go", Hotaru took a huge sigh of relief and met up with Harry and Hermione.  
  
Divination was no problem for Hotaru, yet when she had read the crystal ball, she had once again seen the mysterious bride of whom she did not recognize.   
  
That evening was the Astronomy practical as all students taking it reached the roof to stand behind a telescope. They were to fill out a star chart with the exact positions of the stars and planets, Hotaru knew she'd wiz through this one.  
  
About halfway through the exam, Hotaru noticed Harry's attention had been adverted. She followed his gaze to a disturbance happening outside of Hagrid's hut, she decided to ignore the examiner's protests as the activity become more noticeable. She did not recognize some of the people down by the hut with the exception of Hagrid, her foster-mother, McGonagall and Professor Umbridge.  
  
Several more students looked down below as a large BANG sounded, stunning spells being sent out. Hagrid shouted out threats, he refused to be taken away. One of the examiners gasped and several students screamed as four stunning spells hit McGonagall at once, Usagi was quick to her aid. Hotaru felt a dull ache in her chest as she could sense the ginzuishou being used to heal the fallen teacher. Hagrid was furious and began physically attacking the ones who stunned McGonagall. Umbridge shouted for them to take control, but they were too reluctant, allowing Hagrid to slip into the shadows.  
  
"Five minutes left", Professor Tofty announced, scaring everyone back into attention, although Hotaru had long finished. She moved along the way back into the school beside Hermione who was gushing away about what had just happened. Unfortunately for Hotaru, she would have to head back to her own Common Room, and endure the cheerfulness Draco would no doubt display.  
  
The final exam was History of Magic that morning, as the students once again gathered at the Great Hall. Once again Hotaru felt fairly confident about the course, since she seemed to always pick up facts very well. She wouldn't have been surprised if there was a question involving the Silver Millennium. Sure enough when they flipped over their exam papers, it was one of the first questions, she was sure Harry, Hermione and Ron would be able to answer this one real good as well.  
  
Part way through the exam, Hotaru nearly bolted out of her seat when she witnessed Harry yell out and fall out of his chair.  
  
::::  
  
Harry tried his best to separate himself from Professor Tofty as he was too distraught over the vision he had just witnessed. Deciding he should see Usagi right away, Harry rushed off for the Hospital Wing where she was resting from the previous night's energy loss. Madam Pomfry stopped Harry at the doorway.  
  
"I need to speak to Madam Tsukino!" He shouted rather loudly, Madam Pomfry pushed him away from the hospital beds.  
  
"Both she and Professor McGonagall are resting, last night took quite a toll on them both, I'm afraid", she said. Harry felt that much more panicky as he rushed back towards the crowd leaving the Great Hall.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione said as she and Ron and Hotaru hurried to join him, "are you alright?" She asked, but Harry refused to answer as he ushered them away to find an empty classroom to talk privately in.  
  
"Voldemort's got Sirius", he said.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"How d'you-"  
  
"Saw it. Just now. When I fell asleep in the exam".  
  
"But how?" Hermione asked, both she and Hotaru looking very pale at that moment.  
  
"I dunno, but I know where. There's a room in the Department of Mysteries full of shelves covered in these little glass balls, they're at the end of row ninety-seven. He's trying to use Sirius to get whatever he wants in there...torturing him...says he'll end up by killing him!" Harry took a moment to catch his breath, "How are we going to get there?"  
  
"Get there?!" Said Ron, frantically.  
  
"To the Department of Mysteries, to rescue Sirius!"  
  
"Wait a minute..." said Hotaru, "I don't really think Voldemort could've possibly have taken Sirius with the others there", Harry rose his eyebrows at her.  
  
"They might have gone back to Japan, I dunno- I just saw it!" He yelled, Hotaru took a step back.  
  
"How could Voldemort have gotten in the Ministry without anyone noticing?" Hermione tried, Harry glared at her too.  
  
"I dunno-he used an invisibility cloak or something, but we have to go to the Ministry, now! Besides, the Department of Mysteries has always been empty whenever I've been there-"  
  
"But you've never been there", Ron pointed out, "you've only dreamed about the place".  
  
"Maybe", shot Harry, "but I know someone who -has- been there", he flipped the lid of his communicator open to contact Sorrow, Hermione shut the lid quickly, Harry glared at her.  
  
"But why-why would Voldemort want to use Sirius to get this weapon thingy?" Hermione pressed softly.  
  
Their argument continued for a few more minutes before two more people entered the room. Ginny and Luna Lovegood (who seemed to have followed by accident), entered the room.  
  
"Hi, what are you yelling about?" Ginny asked, her eyebrows raised.  
  
"Never you mind", Harry snapped.  
  
"I was just wondering if I could help?" She said angrily at his attitude.  
  
"Well, you can't", shot Harry.  
  
"You're being rather rude", said Luna quietly.  
  
"Wait", interrupted Hermione after Harry looked away and cursed. "We need to find out if Sirius really has left the Headquarters. Let's just make sure Sirius and the others really aren't there before we rush off to London. If he's really not there, I'll do whatever I can to help."  
  
"We don't have time!" Harry insisted.  
  
"But if this is a trick, we've got to check!" Hotaru interrupted, Hermione shot her a look of thanks.  
  
"We'll have to use Umbridge's fire", said Hermione, "we can use Ginny and Luna as lookouts."  
  
"Ok", said Harry, "if we can do this quickly." They quickly arranged the plans and headed off to carry them out.  
  
::::  
  
Severus was in his office when Draco came to the door.  
  
"Professor Snape, sir, Professor Umbridge needs you". The Potion Master couldn't help but growl in annoyance, although he reluctantly headed up to Umbridge's office, slightly curious as what had happened this time. However, it was no surprise to him that Harry Potter was in the office and the reason for his summoning.  
  
"Professor Snape, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum as quick as you can, please", Umbridge requested as soon as he had come through the door.  
  
"You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter", he said, although he was the only one who knew that to be a lie, since it had been a placebo, not the real thing. "Surely you did not use it all? I told you that three drops would be sufficient."  
  
Umbridge flushed, Severus watched her reaction with great interest.  
  
"You can make some more, can't you?" She asked, her voice becoming sweeter by the second, it made Severus feel ill.  
  
"Certainly", he said, his lip curling. "It takes a full-moon cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in around a month."  
  
"A month?" Umbridge yelled, Severus resisted the urge to smirk, "but I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with a person or persons unknown!"  
  
"Really?" Severus said, he looked at Harry with a look of interest, he had a pretty good idea of whom he was talking to. "Well it doesn't surprise me. Potter has never shown much inclination to follow school rules." Severus stared directly into Harry's eyes, Harry was trying to tell him something...  
  
"I wish to interrogate him!" repeated Umbridge angrily, Severus returned his attention to the quivering toad-like face. "I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force him to tell me the truth!"  
  
"I have already told you", Severus replied smoothly, "that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter-and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did- I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling". Severus looked back at Harry, who was still saying incoherent things about Black and the Dark Lord, although clearly he intended Severus to read his mind on purpose.  
  
"You are on probation!" Professor Umbridge shouted at him, Severus rose his eyebrows at her. "You are being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of my office!" Severus still resisted the urge to laugh at her, instead he gave her an ironic bow and turned to leave.  
  
"He's got Padfoot!" Harry shouted at him, 'damn' Severus thought to himself. "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!" Severus stopped with his hand on the door handle, 'damn damn' he continued thinking to himself.  
  
"Padfoot?" Umbridge yelled out, she looked from Harry to Severus. "What is Padfoot? Were what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?" She glared at him, but he looked at Harry, trying his best not to show he understood.  
  
"I have no idea", Severus lied. "Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little. If Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if ever you apply for a job."  
  
He left the office thoroughly pissed off, he was heading straight for the Hospital Wing cursing to himself, trying to understand why Potter couldn't keep his big mouth shut. Severus still did not feel bad about refusing Potter occlumency lessons, served him right to put his nose where it didn't belong. His whole face, actually. He and Usagi had been purposely ignoring each other for a while, but it had to stop, now.  
  
He barged angrily into the hospital ward, ignoring Madam Pomfry's protests as he scanned the beds for the lunarian princess. Finding her sleeping form, he approached her and gave Usagi a violent shake.  
  
"Wake up, dammit!" He cursed, Usagi's eyes snapped open, she quickly squinted them to get used to the bright light.  
  
"Let...me...go!" She said, Severus dropped her. "What do you want?!" She protested loudly. He grabbed her arm and forced her to get out of bed. Dragging her along the hallway, getting irritated when she tripped along the way, he used as few words as possible to explain what was going on.  
  
::::  
  
Hotaru looked around at her fellow Slytherins guarding the struggling TA members. She had to think fast as she knew time was running out, she had already guessed at what Hermione was doing and it was very dangerous. Pushing Pansy away from her, she dove for Umbridge's desk hoping to grab her wand. Draco immediately took action and took out his own wand, threatening Hotaru with it. She looked up at him from the floor and stared into his cold gray eyes.  
  
"Do you really want to hurt me?" She asked, causing Draco to falter for a second. It was a mistake he made and couldn't change as the second was long enough fro Ginny to pull out her wand and send a curse at him. Draco howled in pain as his face began growing wings, which were flapping furiously. The other TA members quickly took action and managed to fight off the other Slytherin students. Hotaru summoned her henshin wand and called out her transformation phrase, temporarily filling the office with a bright violet light as she transformed into Sailor " Ginny admired out loud.  
  
"I'm going to get the other two, meet us by the edge of the forest", Saturn instructed, opening the office window and taking a giant leap to land hard on the ground below. Holding her glaive as tightly as she could, she made a mad dash through the forest, trying desperately to sense the others. She made it into a clearing, witnessing Harry being lifted off the ground by an angry centaur. Nobody noticed Saturn's presence until she put the blade of her glaive up against the assailant's neck.  
  
"Drop him", she ordered, her voice icy cold, the centaur immediately did as was asked as all the herd stared towards her.  
  
"The angel of death", one of them said, fearing for their lives.  
  
"Let's go Harry, Hermione", Saturn said, summoning her energy to make it clear she was in no mood for negotiation.  
  
Suddenly, Grawp came stomping through the trees, acting madly.  
  
"Where Haggar?!" He bellowed, centaurs began shooting arrows at him, causing Grawp to howl in pain. He began swinging blindly at his attackers, until he spotted Hermione and made a grab at her.  
  
"Hermy, where Haggar?!" He asked, as his face was pelted with more arrows. Great drops of blood spattered over the three students until Saturn caused an invisible shield to surround them as they left the forest clearing.  
  
"Oh, that's so terrible!" Said Hermione as they ran through the forest. "He might kill all of them!"  
  
"I don't really mind", said Harry, continuously glancing at the fuku-clad Slytherin next to him, "you probably could've wiped them all out!" He told her, Hotaru looked at him for a moment.  
  
"Easily, but what good would that have done?" They made it to the edge of the forest where Ginny, Neville and Luna were waiting anxiously, Ginny handed Harry and Hermione their wands.  
  
"Shoulda' seen us, Harry!" Neville said rather breathlessly, "Hotaru had Draco scared, then Ginny nailed him with a Bat Bogey Hex". Harry flipped the lid of his communicator open and called Sorrow, who popped up on the screen seconds later.  
  
"Not much time for an explanation, we're coming to the Ministry of Magic, now", Harry rushed, Sorrow blinked at him a couple of times.  
  
"Ok, I'll meet you out front", she said after a moment, then Harry shut the lid.  
  
"Sirius wasn't there?" Hotaru asked after having de-transformed.  
  
"No, neither were the others, Kreacher said they'd all gone back to Japan."  
  
"Great timing", Hotaru muttered.  
  
"So how are we getting there?" Ginny asked curiously, Harry stared at her for a moment.  
  
"'We' are not going anywhere, you're not involved."  
  
"We are now", Hotaru said plainly, wiping some of Grawp's blood off her face.  
  
"Yeah, we wanna help", Neville said, "what good was learning defense if we're not going to use it?" Harry stumbled, he had him there.  
  
"Oh, alright, obviously we can't fly, my broom is still locked up in the dungeons."  
  
"There are other ways of flying, you know", Luna said, swaying dreamily back and forth, the others stared at her.  
  
"How??" Ron snapped at the Ravenclaw.  
  
"We can ride Thestrals", she answered, gazing towards the edge of the forest where three Thestrals were looking uncertainly at them.  
  
"Those crazy horse thingys?" Ron said incrediously, "the ones you can only see if you've seen someone snuff it?" Luna nodded, both Harry and Hotaru watched as the three animals approached them and began licking the blood off their robes.   
  
"You've watched somebody die?" Harry asked softly, Hotaru looked up at him sadly."  
  
"I've watched many die", she answered, Luna then pointed to the trees.  
  
"Hey, they're attracted to the blood", she said as more Thestrals emerged from the forest. "Plenty for everyone", she said as she slid onto one of the creature's backs.  
  
"Some of us can't see them, you know", Ron informed her dryly. Luna slid off her Thestral and helped him, Ginny and Hermione onto the backs of other Thestrals. Everyone seated themselves as securely as they could.  
  
"Erm...Ministry of Magic in London...if you know where to go", Harry requested. The Thestrals hesitated for a moment, before vaulting straight up in the air, their leathery wings causing the creatures to glide through the air. They remained fairly close together, the students becoming extremely cold and uncomfortable from the frigid night air. After a few minutes, the Thestrals changed direction and turned into a stomach-lurching dive as they came down onto solid ground. Everyone slid thankfully from the Thestrals' backs as they walked towards the red phone booth of which Sorrow was leaning up against, smoking a cigarette. She watched them approach her as she flicked the butt away.  
  
"Nasty habit", she said out loud, smiling at them. "So what's with the field trip?" She asked, opening the phone booth door.  
  
"Sirius is here, Voldemort took him", Harry said, getting inside of the phone booth. The others all squeezed awkwardly inside of it too. "Dial six two four four two", he informed the closest one to the phone, Ron bent his arm to do so.  
  
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business", came the feminine voice, Sorrow glared while looking up, she started by listing everyone's names.  
  
"...and I'm an auror, you stupid dumbass", she cursed rather loudly, "we're here to get somebody out, 'cause your Ministry idiots couldn't sniff out Voldemort even if he rubbed his butt right up against your noses." Everyone else couldn't help but stifle a laugh, regardless of the situation. A handful of badges spat out with all of their names on it as well as 'butt-sniffing rescue mission'.  
  
"Oh, a smart ass, are you?" Sorrow mumbled. The woman's voice listed a few instructions before the phone booth lurched into motion and sunk into the ground. The seconds seem to pass on for an eternity before the phone booth door opened as everyone fell out of it on top of each other, the only sound that could be heard was the soft spraying of the fountain.  
  
"Where are we going?" Sorrow asked, frowning around her, "you'd think they'd have this place more secured", she said under her breath.  
  
"Department of Mysteries", Harry answered quickly, he and Sorrow led the way past the fountain towards the golden lift as they all hurried inside of it. Pushing the button for the ninth floor, the lift noisily began to move, giving everyone a sense of danger, all except Sorrow who still seemed irritated. A soft, cool feminine voice announced their desired floor as they stepped out into the corridor. They headed down the corridor until Harry stopped and turned towards the others.  
  
"Wait...maybe a couple of people should stay here as a lookout...?"  
  
"What for?" Asked Sorrow rather loudly, "you wouldn't be able to hear anything."  
  
"We're coming with you, Harry", said Hotaru.  
  
"Let's get on with it", Ron pressed. Having no choice, Harry led the others towards the door he had seen in his dream and swung it open. The room was completely black except for the shimmering blue flames of candles illuminating their presence. Just before Harry could make his choice out of a dozen doors, the room began to rotate, Hermione grabbed onto Harry's arm, frightened, but the doors stopped moving after a moment.   
  
"How are we going to get out?" Asked Neville, obviously uncomfortable.  
  
"We won't need too, until we've found Sirius", Harry answered, still trying to determine which door to choose.  
  
"Which room do you want?" Sorrow asked, she knew exactly how to identify which way to go.  
  
"I dunno exactly", said Harry, "it's a room that kind-of glitters". Sorrow stared at him for a moment, before making her guess.  
  
"Oh, I think I know which one you want. The Room of Time", she strolled up to a random door, and opened it, everyone gazed curiously inside.  
  
"This is it!" Announced Harry, immediately walking inside of it.  
  
::::  
  
"Damn it!" Severus cursed loudly after finishing a hurried conversation with Sirius. He and Usagi had just discovered Sirius was still inside Grimmauld Place, safe and sound, while Harry was still under the impression Voldemort had his godfather.  
  
"What now?" Usagi asked, feeling extremely worried at that moment.  
  
"I'll go make sure they're not still in the forest", said Severus, who was about to do just that before Usagi stopped him.  
  
"You honestly think he's still in there?" Usagi and Severus stared at each other, "you know right well they're probably heading towards London as we speak." Severus growled loudly at her. "I've got to go there and stop them before they get hurt-"  
  
"You're not going anywhere", Severus said firmly, blocking her exit through the door. Usagi glared at him.  
  
"I made a promise that I'd protect Harry-"  
  
"Well, this wouldn't have happened if your so-called friends hadn't run off to Japan".  
  
"Oh, so now it's their fault?!" Usagi shouted, balling her fists defensively, "you're the jerk who stopped giving Harry those lessons."  
  
"Potter always steps too far!"  
  
"Get over yourself already!" Usagi snapped, making another move towards the door.  
  
"It's none of your damned business!" Severus snapped back.  
  
"You made it my business you arrogant son of a-" Usagi never finished her sentence, she took a step backwards, her eyes wide in fear as Severus had raised his hand, ready to strike her. A moment of silence passed, Severus lowered his hand slowly, realizing what he had just about done. He felt instantly sorry he had become so angry.  
  
"Fine, but I'm coming with you," he said softly.  
  
And so, he had contacted members of the Order, everyone readily taking action by heading towards the Ministry of Magic. Severus and Usagi followed behind the others, Sirius had come along even though knowingly putting himself in danger. The couple in the rear were about to follow the others through the rotating chamber, when a shadow lept into view and seized Usagi violently.  
  
"Oh no, you will not interfere, Usako." the cold voice whispered fiercely. Severus turned around and sent his fist flying straight towards Mamorou's face. It came in contact, sending Mamorou backwards, having released Usagi.  
  
"Go ahead," Severus told her, she didn't move, looking at the scene before her. The Potion Master glared at her, "Now!" She quickly did as she was told and left the two men to finish what they had begun.  
  
Usagi hurried to join the others as they made their way to a room styled oddly like a colosseum, a huge stone dias standing on the middle of the sunken pit. The Death Eaters who were fighting the students all noticed their presence almost immediately as the Order rushed to intervene in the fight. Usagi rushed towards Hotaru and Sorrow, the latter who was bleeding badly from her side.  
  
"Okaasan!" Hotaru yelled, "Help Harry They're after Harry!" Usagi looked round where Harry was supporting Neville, trying to climb the stairs. She quickly headed towards them. Hotaru stayed with Sorrow, the auror pocketed her wand and removed the bandana from her head, wiping blood from her sweaty face. That's when Hotaru's eyes widened with a sudden recognition.  
  
"You're the bride!" Hotaru said, causing the other girl to look at her in puzzlement, "I just realized after all this time, that you're the one I keep seeing, wearing the white dress!"   
  
"Going to get married, am I?" Sorrow asked, retying the bandana around her head, trying to keep her long raven tresses away from a deep gash on her cheek.   
  
"That's not what I mea-" Hotaru stopped suddenly. She turned to see that her foster-mother had transformed into Eternal Sailor Moon, the power enabling her to fully support Neville, while hurrying him up the steps. A vision blurred over Hotaru's eyes as she witnessed the scenes playing out before her.  
  
"Hotaru?" Sorrow questioned, gently shaking the other girl's arm to snap her out of it.  
  
"Sirius is about to die," Hotaru said, "He's going to fall behind the veil!" She looked at Sorrow, eyes wide like saucer plates.  
  
"Are you sure?" Sorrow asked in disbelief.  
  
"I've never been wrong." Hotaru answered, Sorrow looked down at the stone dias, where Sirius was dueling his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange.  
  
"No." Sorrow said bluntly, and pushed Hotaru out of the way as she made a dash towards Harry's godfather, "NO!" She yelled out, "Sirius, no!" But it was too late.  
  
"C'mon you can do better than that!" Sirius taunted the woman standing only a few feet away from him. She had shot a burst of red light towards him, and it would've hit him square in the chest, but Sorrow had pushed him away and had taken the blunt of the curse. Her body curved backwards as she fell, her eyes wide with fear, her body soaked in blood. The veil fluttered softly as the black curtain swallowed the rogue auror's body whole.  
  
"NO!" Harry screamed, having just witnessed the scene that had passed like an eternity. Lupin grabbed Harry before he could reach the stone dias. "NO! SORROW!" He screamed, desperately trying to fight Lupin's hold.  
  
"It's too late, Harry, she's gone." Lupin said. Sirius had long since gotten up from the floor where he had landed, and resumed his duel against Bellatrix with a fierce rage. She realized her disadvantage and bolted out of the room after hitting Sirius with a blinding blast of her wand. Harry bolted after her. Usagi, too, had witnessed the scene and followed Harry while the other's fought on.  
  
Usagi hurried through the room with the brains which were bow scattered all over the floor, she lifted herself partially off the ground in order to not slip to her doom. Moving into the rotating room she looked around at all the doors in a panic.  
  
"Where's the exit?!" She yelled out, a door behind her flew open, she hurried through it. She found the lifts and got inside, hitting the button for the Atrium. She had just made it into the Atrium when she heard a voice she did not recognize. Looking up, she saw the hooded figure talking to Harry. With cold realization washing over her, she knew exactly who the stranger was. Usagi moved towards them, still unnoticed as she heard Voldemort's next comment.  
  
"I have nothing to say to you, Potter, you have irked me too often, for too long. AVA KEDAVRA!" The spell had hit it's target just as Usagi's fuku clad body came into Voldemort's view.   
  
"NO!" She screamed, kneeling at Harry's limp body. She started to cry. Voldemort laughed at her.  
  
"A little late, Serenity." He said. Usagi turned her head to look at him as she cradled Harry's lifeless form, in her arms.  
  
"I'm afraid not," came a new voice echoing in the Atrium. Voldemort looked up as Dumbledore came into view. He looked down at Usagi and smiled softly. "Now would be a good time", he said, "before it's too late". Usagi didn't need an explanation, she closed her eyes and called on the ginzuishou's power, the sound of Voldemort and Dumbledore's duel fading out into the distance.  
  
::::  
  
Harry looked around himself in awe. He had absolutely no idea where he was, but before him he could see part of the earth, the colors vibrant in the endless sky. Behind him lay ruins of what must have been a huge palace. He clutched the emerald pendant around his neck and felt his forehead searing with pain.  
  
"Where am I?!" Harry yelled out, feeling rather frustrated that his voice echoed pointlessly around him. He tightly wrapped his arms around himself, suddenly feeling cold and lonely.   
  
"Harry", the soft voice caused Harry to jump, he turned around and gazed in wonderment towards Usagi. She was dressed in a flowing white gown, trimmed with gold, her white wings folded neatly behind her.  
  
"Am I dead?" He asked her, his voice quavering. Usagi smiled at him.  
  
"I won't let you die", she said, then looked towards something moving behind him. Harry turned around and watched a lavender-haired woman walk slowly towards them. The woman's grey eyes gazed lovingly on Harry, she offered a small smile.  
  
"I've been waiting to meet you, Harry Potter", she said, "a cruel way to initiate such a meeting, but something I've been looking forward to none-the-less". Selenity then looked up at her daughter, "a pity the young girl had to lose her life", Usagi nodded at her, then took Harry's arm and led them towards the palace.  
  
Inside, much of it was still intact, they headed towards the throne room, if Usagi's memory had remembered correctly. Selenity stopped just inside the entrance and turned to Harry.  
  
"I must speak privately with my daughter now, but there are some people here who wish to see you". Harry looked at the strange queen with uncertainty, but then turned his attention towards the two people who came into view. Harry looked on in disbelief.  
  
"Go on", Usagi whispered in encouragement. Harry waited a moment before the woman opened her arms in invitation. Harry felt like he was being deceived at first, but then he rushed forwards, being taken into the woman's embrace.  
  
"Mum! You're really here!" Harry said, letting the tears that had been building up fall from his eyes. Lily Potter hugged her son with a fierce longing. Harry then looked up into the eyes of James Potter. "Is this real?" Harry asked, even though he felt warm in his mother's arms.  
  
"Yes, Harry", James said, and hugged his son.  
  
"Use this time wisely", said Selenity as she and Usagi left the throne room.  
  
Mother and daughter walked along the once beautiful courtyard in silence, Selenity knew what she must now explain and took a short time to gather her thoughts together.  
  
"Firstly", she began, "I know you are still confused about Endymion, and you have a right to know why things are the way they are.  
  
"You see, Salazar Slytherin never truly cared for me right from the start. But I was too foolishly in love to notice anything suspicious. Everyone knew about the powerful weapon I wielded then and Salazar would've wanted nothing more than to claim the power as his own.  
  
"After your birth and my severing the ties with Earth, Salazar knew if he was to gain the ginzuishou, he'd have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers. So after you had first come of age, he had discovered a loophole that he could use, and that loophole was you. Endymion, both prince and wizard, was admitted to study at Hogwarts. Endymion was a teacher's dream, being both smart and talented. Naturally, he became an instant favorite of Salazar's and your father took on the apprentice with a dark intention.  
  
"Knowing full well that Endymion would be your perfect match, Salazar planned that after you and the prince were married, he would be able to have Endymion persuade you to accept ties back with Earth, since you would be queen and would wield the ginzuishou. In having you back in his life, he would persuade you to let him teach you the ways of magic and eventually get his hands on the ginzuishou.   
  
"Naturally, his plans weren't foolproof, there were the wars with Metallia going on and Salazar was having his own personal problems at the school. He desired to wipe out those who were not 'pure-blooded' wizards that possessed magic, he had built a chamber in which to keep such a killer that would do his bidding. He had though once he had the ginzuishou, he would be powerful enough to rule the world himself, and govern it as he saw fit. After the Moon Kingdom was destroyed, the ginzuishou had disappeared and he would never see Endymion again. In his lifetime anyway.  
  
"That's where the present time comes into play. Voldemort had discovered his Saturnian power while he still attended Hogwarts. Over the years, this power developed and he learned to wield it, eventually making him the most powerful wizard in existence. Doing his research, Voldemort discovered the history of Salazar Slytherin, and seeing that one Miss Serenity Slytherin had once again been accepted to study at Hogwarts, he intercepted and stopped the letter from ever reaching the Tsukino house. He wanted to wait for you to discover your own past, as he knew if you had been reborn, the pure-blooded prince would have been as well.  
  
"When you had first become Sailor Moon, one Mamoru Chiba discovered he had hidden powers. Of course, you were unsure of his loyalty when he began his quest to collect rainbow crystals for his own reasons.  
  
"Voldemort had found Mamoru when he had first become Tuxedo Kamen, as he too would have received an invitation to attend Hogwarts. Voldemort persuaded a young, confused Mamoru to collect the crystals for him. In exchange, he offered to show him the princess he had been dreaming about and reveal his past. Seeing this as an irresistible offer, Mamoru did not refuse. But once again, the plan faltered when the crystals responded to a princess's love for her prince.  
  
"Mamoru had forgotten about Voldemort after that. That was until Galaxia had stolen his star seed, while he was flying for America. Naturally, Mamoru had died, but Voldemort had entered his life once more. Voldemort's spirit had escaped after his attempt at using the Philosopher's Stone, and after a young Harry Potter had thwarted him, Voldemort had left to regenerate using the power of Saturn. He gave the prince a tempting offer, since he had that power, he would give Mamoru's life back to him, Mamoru could not refuse. Voldemort did not reveal the prince for such a gift just yet, but instead had Mamoru's forearm marked with the Dark Mark, a testimony to Mamoru's owing of a wizard's boon.  
  
"Over time, Voldemort's influence became too strong for Mamoru to withstand, and after you had severed your ties with the prince, Mamoru turned to the only one who seemed to always be there to help. Which is why Mamoru is a Death Eater.  
  
"What you have to realize, is that Mamoru and Endymion did it all out of his pure love for you. Mamoru was the innocent in all of this, he always has and probably always will love you".  
  
Usagi had listened to every word with an unwanted understanding. Her heart broke into a million pieces as she felt terribly evil for what had happened to Mamoru.  
  
"This whole thing is my fault", Usagi said, bitting the bottom of her lip to keep herself from a crying fit.  
  
"No", said Selenity quickly, "it's all my fault and I take full responsibility for it. I am also the one who kept you from releasing Uranus and Neptune from the catacombs, but the reason I cannot yet reveal." Usagi looked up at her mother, her eyes sparkling with tears.  
  
"What now?" She asked, knowing time was running out.  
  
"You will take Harry back with you, take care of him and make your choice now."  
  
"Choice?" Usagi felt a sense of dread wash over her.  
  
"Do not let the facts that I have just revealed moments ago influence the decision you are about to make. Keep in mind, that while Mamoru still loves you, the both of you were dealt a cruel hand of fate and should not have been forced together to relive the past thinking it's best. Sometimes, the past needs to be forgotten." Selenity led her daughter back towards the throne room to fetch Harry. The small family noticed the lunarian's presence right away as Lily and James gave Harry their last-minute farewells.  
  
"Thank you", James said to Usagi, "you have no idea how much this meant to us". He added, his arm wrapped around his son's shoulder.  
  
"Oh, I think I do", said Usagi as Harry moved to join her, "ready?" She asked, Harry slowly nodded as Usagi summoned the ginzuishou to send them back to their bodies.  
  
::::  
  
Usagi woke up with a violent start, she had de-transformed during her little spirit-enlightenment, her arms were still holding onto Harry, who had also woken up. Usagi realized that they hadn't been gone very long, maybe a couple of minutes at the most, since Voldemort and Dumbledore were still dueling. Pieces of the fountain of Magical Brethren lay scattered all around them, Usagi put her head over Harry's to protect him from flying objects. The duel had suddenly stopped when Voldemort had realized both of his 'victims' were still very much alive.  
  
"You!" He hissed, "I killed you, Potter!" Harry looked up towards Voldemort and felt his forehead pulse. Voldemort jumped backwards as though he had been burned. "You will die, Serenity", Voldemort said before taking Bellatrix and leaving the Atrium.  
  
Cornelius Fudge, clad still in pyjamas rushed towards them, a few Aurors following behind him.  
  
"He was there!" One of the men said, "I saw him Mr Fudge, I swear it was You-Know-Who, he grabbed a woman and Disapparated!"  
  
"I know Williamson, I know, I saw him too!" Fudge blabbered, fidgeting on the spot. "Merlin's beard-here-here!-in the Ministry of Magic!-great heavens above-it doesn't seem possible-my word-how can this be-?"  
  
"If you proceed downstairs into the Department of Mysteries, Cornelius", Dumbledore interrupted after making sure Harry and Usagi seemed alright, "you will find several escaped Death Eaters contained in the Death Chamber, bound by an Anti-Disapparation Jinx and waiting your decision as to what to do with them."  
  
"Dumbledore!" gasped Fudge, "you-here-I-I-" He looked round at the people he had brought with him, almost ready to have Dumbledore arrested.  
  
"Cornelius, I am ready to fight your men-and win, again!" said Dumbledore quite loudly. "But a few minutes ago, you saw proof, with your own eyes, that I have been telling you the truth for a year. Lord Voldemort has returned, you have been chasing the wrong man for twelve months, and it is time you listened to sense!"  
  
"I -don't-well", Fudge was babbling again, looking around as though he wanted somebody to tell him what to do. When nobody said anything, he said, "very well-Dawlish! Williamson! Go down to the Department of Mysteries and see...Dumbledore, you -you will need to tell me exactly-the Fountain of Magical Brethren-what happened?" he added in a kind of whimper, staring around at the floor, where the remains of the statues of the witch, wizard and centaur now lay scattered.  
  
"We can discuss that after I have sent Harry back to Hogwarts", said Dumbledore.  
  
"Harry-Harry Potter?" Fudge looked over to where Usagi still had her arms wrapped around Harry, Dumbledore moved over to them and offered a hand to Usagi.  
  
"You need to deal with other matters", said Dumbledore as he helped Usagi up. She had understood him and left towards the corridor to go back down into the Department of Mysteries.  
  
She had reached the corridor leading towards the rotating room when she saw some members of the Order leaving it.  
  
"It's ok, Usagi, it's over now", Lupin said, but she was too busy staring at Severus's blood-covered body. Some of his robes were sliced up and he had terrible gashes all over, Kingsley Shacklebolt was supporting him, although he made it quite clear he'd have preferred to support himself. Severus stopped his walk-limping, removing his arm from Kingsley and stared towards Usagi.  
  
"You didn't-?" Usagi began, Severus continued to stare at her.  
  
"No", Lupin offered, "but he won't remember anything for a while. Severus hit him with a powerful memory charm-" Lupin stopped. Usagi and Severus were still staring at each other, she had tears welling up in her eyes.  
  
"I think this is where we stay out of it", Lupin mumbled to Kingsley as they slowly backed away from Severus, who was standing completely on his own at that moment. Usagi quickly moved towards him and reached up to take his head in her hands. Nothing was said between them, Usagi pulled his head down towards her so she could kiss him. Her crescent mark glowed brightly as her magic healed the blunt of his wounds. After a moment, her energy tapped out as she collapsed limply on the floor. Lupin made a move to pick her up.  
  
"No", said Severus quickly, and winced as he wrenched a piece of glass from partially healed skin. He then bent to pick up Usagi, in order to carry her towards the lift, Lupin and Kingsley followed closely behind.  
  
::::  
  
"There you are Harry, I thought they would drag you into this somewhere", said Hermione, after reading an excerpt from the Daily Prophet. She put the newspaper down and held her ribs as she slightly adjusted herself in the bed. Her forehead was glowing brightly, as the power of Mercury that had awakened inside of her, had kept her from receiving worse injury than she already had. She was more than excited to learn that her power of knowledge was inherited from an actual Mercutian. She looked up at Harry who's own forehead was glowing with the sign of Jupiter, he had used his own power the same night Hermione had discovered hers.  
  
She, Harry, Neville, Ron, Ginny, Hotaru and Luna were all sitting around Hermione's bed, visiting in the Hospital Wing as the newly discovered Mercutian was recovering from her wounds received from a Death Eater. Usagi had been resting in the Hospital Wing as well, but she had long-since recovered and had left, but continuously checked up on Hermione.   
  
Professor Umbridge lay in a bed just across the room from them, Ron made clip-clopping noises with his tongue which produced the only movement in the woman, who had been rescued by Dumbledore. Nobody knew how he had done it, exactly.   
  
"Harry", Hotaru said softly as Harry stood to leave the room, saying he was going to see Hagrid. He stopped and looked at her with sad and tired eyes. "I want to say that I'm sorry...I mean, about Sorrow...I didn't mean to treat her so badly-"  
  
"It's ok", Harry insisted, then offered the violet-eyed girl a soft smile, he could feel a sudden warmth emitting from her, while her planetary mark glowed on her forehead. "I just wanna leave". He said, and did so, Hotaru didn't bother following.  
  
::::  
  
Severus headed into Dumbledore's office with an uncertainty. Things had changed since Dumbledore had once again taken over Headmaster position at Hogwarts. And yet, it was as though things were never to be considered the same anyways. The four Japanese senshi had returned to the school to remain with Usagi for the remainder of the school year, which was only now one week to go, they had all gone to St. Mungo's to check up on Mamoru who had sustained several serious injuries. Sirius was now not held as a fugitive anymore, his name had been cleared, and from the blood of the young rogue auror known only as 'Sorrow', he lived to remain as Harry's godfather.  
  
Opening the office door, Severus stood in front of Dumbledore's desk, waiting to hear what the aging man had to say. Dumbledore peered over his half-moon glasses and smiled.  
  
"You may have it." He said, then stopped for a moment.  
  
"Sir?" Severus questioned, in puzzlement.  
  
"The position that I have yet to let you have. Defense Against the Dark Arts. That is...if you still want it."  
  
"I don't...understand? Did she put you up to this?" Severus readily brought Usagi into the conversation, but Dumbledore shook his head.  
  
"She knows nothing about this, this conversation is just between me and you. I'd like to hear what your answer is."   
  
"Well, of course I still want it...but-"  
  
"That is fine." Dumbledore cut in, he continued to smile knowingly, he always had an answer to everything. He cast his eyes away to gaze on a piece of broken wood, something of which Harry had destroyed only a few nights previous. "I already have a replacement for your post in mind", Dumbledore added after a moment, "but it will all depend on you, if she takes it or not, that is". Severus narrowed his eyebrows, he was meaning to keep Usagi at Hogwarts, but what his comment had meant, he did not know. Dumbledore turned his gaze back to the Potions Master again. "I may be an old man, but sometimes this old fool sees things that younger people tend to miss. It is no secret how you and Usagi feel about each other, I would just hope that you make it clear to her how you feel before she leaves to go back to Tokyo."  
  
"Sir-I don't think-"  
  
"Do not try to argue with your elders, Severus", Dumbledore interrupted, feeling quite pleased with himself at that particular moment. "You have less than one week, Severus, I should think you have a little business to make, hm?" Severus eyed the Headmaster for a moment, before nodding curtly and leaving the office. Once again, Dumbledore smiled brightly.  
  
::::  
  
Usagi threw the tiny remembrall against the wall of her room in anger. It was now the eve of her last night at Hogwarts, and Severus still had not returned from his secretive trip he had left on a week ago. Dumbledore had refused to tell her the whereabouts of the Potions Master, which frustrated her to no ends. She left her robes behind as she fled her room and headed outside in the cool, night air. The full moon shone down on her in bright mockery, as it was also the eve of her birthday. Her white wings spread from her back and fluttered a bit for a little stretch before settling down behind her. Crossing her arms across her chest, Usagi stood at the edge of the lake and simply stared quietly while hundreds of thoughts went through her mind.   
  
What her mother had said to her, was what bothered her most, since she realized now the mistake she had made. Usagi was madly in love with Severus Snape, and would never see him again, since she was bound for Tokyo the next morning and he was nowhere to be found. She had realized this fact while sitting next to the sleeping form of Mamoru Chiba in St. Mungo's. She and the senshi had gone there to visit Mamoru, he had been badly injured during his duel with Severus. Usagi knew the deceased Queen had been right, she did have strong feelings for Mamoru, but love was not among those feelings anymore. No, her love had been growing steadily for another man, but this time, her love was not driven by fate, but rather by her own pure choice.   
  
After a few minutes of more silent thought, Usagi turned to head back into the castle. That's when she stopped and looked towards the dark figure standing in her way.  
  
"Where have you been?!"  
  
"What were you doing?"  
  
"My question first", Usagi said, as the two looked at each other, one with an angry expression, the other with mild interest.  
  
"I had to take care of some things", Severus answered cooly, then proceeded to approach the lunarian, who still stared at him angrily. "What were you doing just then?"  
  
"Thinking", Usagi said, then allowed herself to cool down a bit, since she didn't want to spend the night arguing the whole time.  
  
"The Headmaster has asked me to do something for him", Severus continued after a moment, Usagi rose an eyebrow at him, "my position has opened up, he wonders if you'd be interested in taking on Potions for the next year."  
  
"Wait...how come your position is now free?" Usagi asked suspiciously.  
  
"Because I have accepted the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts".  
  
"Oh." A few seconds of silence passed between them, Usagi felt rather frustrated at that time, and looked back up towards the new DADA professor. "Why me? There are way more qualified people than me to take the position".  
  
"Yes, I am well aware of that, but I have no intention of letting you leave Hogwarts." Usagi glared at Severus for a moment.  
  
"Oh, you don't? And how do you intend on keeping me here?" She wondered out loud. Severus did not answer her, instead he produced from one of the pockets in his robes a small ring, it glittered in the moonlight beautifully. He rose an eyebrow at her in question. Usagi didn't say anything, she couldn't. The two stared at each other, and Usagi allowed Severus to stare straight into her eyes, he could sense the confusion she was experiencing at that time. Usagi turned to walk a little towards the lake, fighting her tears. Severus approached her from behind and slipped the ring onto her finger.  
  
"I will not stand between you and that prince. If that is what you want", he said softly into her ear, then began walking back towards the school.  
  
"Wait", Usagi called out after him, Severus stopped and turned towards her once again. "I want nothing more than to be your wife", she said, "it's just..."  
  
"I know what you want from me, but it is not something I can merely learn from a text book", Severus said, Usagi's eyes were watering heavily, she wiped some of the tears from her cheek. Once again the two quickly shortened the distance between them as they studied each other. "You know what I've been through, Usagi", Severus said, placing his own hand on her cheek to wipe away tears. "You saw what I had to learn from".   
  
"It doesn't matter", Usagi replied, putting her own hand over his and smiling at him. "I can teach you". He kissed her. The two figures stood as shadows beneath the moonlight in the night sky, Usagi had made her choice.  
  
::::  
  
Usagi hugged Harry as students boarded the Hogwarts Express, ready to go home for the holidays. Hermione and Ron stood not to far away, allowing their friend his time alone with the lunarian. Hotaru stood quietly behind her foster mother, still not sure the fate of the senshi and Hogwarts, since Usagi still had not revealed her plans. Or revealed what had happened the previous night.   
  
"I want you to know, that even though you still have to stay with your aunt and uncle, I will make sure of it to see you during the summer, ok?" Said Usagi, she looked at the pendant still hanging from his neck. "You understand why I gave this to you now", she added, brushing her fingertips over the faint insignia on his forehead. Harry smiled softly at her. He was still feeling the effects of Sorrow's death, but he did not let himself slip into a solitary state.   
  
"I know", he said, looking into the eyes of the woman who had brought him back from death. "I wish you didn't have to go".  
  
"Who said I was going anywhere", Usagi said with a wink, Harry looked at her, confused. "You better get on the train before it leaves you here, hm?" She suggested, and sent Harry to join his companions on the train. They all waved at her from the windows as the Hogwarts Express left to take the students back to King's Cross. Little did they know of what was in store for them sext September.  
  
::::  
  
AN: end of the fifth year!! Yay, finally did it! Now, what I'm leaving up to you, is if you wish for me to just keep on going into the sixth year. Things to look forward to:  
  
the new Potions teacher, our very own bubbly blond!!  
  
A new baby on the way..(Usagi is pregnant as of now, btw, but doesn't know it yet)  
  
lots of relationship happenings (Harry's gonna be crushing on both Hotaru and Cho)  
  
Voldemort tries his best to fulfill what he had said to Usagi in the Atrium (hint hint)  
  
the outers show up into the story  
  
Ok, ok, that's enough teasers, so, let me know if you'd like me to keep going, please!  
  
Thanks,   
  
Dark Cosmos 


	12. My Immortal

XXXXXXXXXX Disclaimer- I don't own Sailor Moon or Harry Potter pft.Or the song "My Immortal" by Evanesence. 

XXXXXXXXXX Author's Note- Wow been a while, ne? It's my friend Rob's fault, he dragged me to the theaters during the summer to watch AVP and I loved it. Anime kinda went on the back burner for a while. But, my busy work is finally done for the winter (Shrink wrapping boats), so I can devote some time to fic writing again. So here it is, start of year six!   
XXXXXXXXXX

Sirius carefully placed the wooden chopsticks between his fingers in hopes to have mastered the technique this time. Staring intently at the plate in front of him, he dug the little sticks into the mound of food and squeezed. Lifting the chopsticks up he gave a triumphant whoop before the food decided to rebel and fall to his lap. Makoto laughed gaily at the sight, while Harry merely continued to stare down at his own food.

Makoto Kino's once quiet lonely apartment had been recently filled with her would-be family. Her boyfriend Sirius Black along with his godson Harry Potter had become permanent residents in her building, according to the new records and as far as the superintendent was concerned, the three of them looked very much like a family.

Harry continued to pick at his food, he had glanced briefly towards Sirius, who was cleaning the small mess he made of himself, and couldn't help but noticed how much the years had been taken off of his features. Thanks to Makoto's talents, she had fed Harry's godfather back to complete health and since his pardon, Sirius couldn't have been more happy than he was at that moment. The hoot of an approaching owl gained Harry's attention as a brown school owl stopped long enough to deliver a letter, take a snack, then leave, Harry stared apprehensively towards the envelope.

"Well? Aren't you going to open it?" Makoto prodded, both adults looking silently towards him. Harry hesitated a moment before reaching forward to take the letter, the seal of Hogwarts imprinted on the back.

"School letter", Harry mumbled, he had half hoped it would've been a letter from Madam Usagi Tsukino saying she'd come for a visit, but she hadn't been able to do so all summer, giving excuses with every invitation. Opening the letter he could feel his heart beat pound in his throat, knowing the contents of the envelope would contain the results of his OWLs.

"So? How'd you do?" Sirius asked, moving himself a little closer to his godson, Harry stared unblinkingly at the parchment before him, before handing it over to Sirius. Makoto stood and leaned over her boyfriend's shoulder to read, then both adults looked up at Harry with raised eyebrows. Harry gave a low sigh and continued to stare down at his plate.

"Wow...I'm impressed," Sirius said giving a low whistle. "I can't believe you actually got excepted into sixth year potions...I though ol' Snivellus would refuse for sure", he added, noticing the materials Harry would have to purchase for the school year.

"I wonder if Usagi-chan had anything to do with that?" Makoto asked with a small sly smile, she had kept her voice low, Sirius shrugged in response.

"Who knows, the way Usa keeps herself busy and secretive these days, I'd have to wonder too". Sirius replied, then put down Harry's letter. "Harry, you need to learn how to smile once in a while, your face is going to get stuck like that". Harry couldn't help but produce a little smile, after all, the fact he earned so many owls was beyond him.

"Think we'll arrange to meet the Weasley's in Diagon Alley?" Makoto suggested, before leaving to get dessert in the kitchen.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sirius, Makoto and Harry walked along the narrow streets of Diagon Alley, looking around at all of the new things displayed in the store windows. They'd be meeting the Weasleys shortly, so they had a few minutes to spend wandering. A few people had glanced wearily towards the ex-convict, but for the most part, nobody would recognize him.

Ron and Hermione burst excitedly out of Gringott's as soon as the clock struck noon, and sure enough the three they had been waiting for were approaching at a casual pace. The two students hugged Harry, who struggled to gain oxygen, since Ron had yet grown again over the summer and was cutting off the smaller boy's air supply with his long arms. Ron also had gained a bit of fuzzy facial hair which almost made him funny looking in a way. Hermione hadn't changed much, although she had been gaining a lot more male attention lately.

"Harry! You wouldn't believe the rumors we've been hearing all morning!" Ron rushed out, Harry looked disinterested.

"Big surprise", he mumbled to himself. Hermione looped her arm through his and smiled brightly.

"C'mon Harry, cheer up and tell us about your OWL reports, hm?" She suggested as they went along their way.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hotaru Tsukino selected her game piece and moved the pawn further up the board. Her opponent took a moment to contemplate her own move before taking the pawn out. The senshi of Saturn took only a few more moves to win the game and watch her opponent's game piece get broken to pieces, Wizard's Chess was her new favorite game.

"You beat me again, Hotaru-chan, I have to wonder about you", Hotaru smirked and brushed a long piece of violet-streaked hair off her face, and crossed her newly acquired set of long pale legs. Since the end of her school year, Hotaru had moved in with someone new, considering her foster mother now newly married would want some alone-time with her new husband. Which was fine with her, since recently she had aged to the same age as her foster mother in order to fill in a position on short notice. Sybil Trelawney, formally of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had mysteriously taken ill and newly posted centaur Firenze had resigned for reasons unknown. Hotaru went from student to teacher in very little time at all. She watched her new room-mate cleaned the mess as the pieces reformed themselves, the older woman looked up with her captive garnet gaze and smiled.

"Almost time to leave for Hogwarts", Setsuna Meioh said, having been asked to fill in for a professor that was to be absent half the year.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mrs Serenity Slytherin-Snape watched her husband from the doorway where she was leaning, quietly pouting. Having accepted an extremely dangerous Order assignment, Severus would be away from Hogwarts for quite a few months. Usagi had argued against it, but in the end gave up as she knew she would've done the same thing. She blinked back the threatened tears and stroked her swollen belly, while not especially large at four months pregnant, it was growing steadily with life.

She took a moment to remember the exact moment she had found out about her pregnancy, early in the summer time. It was long before the proposal that she had stood in front of the Mirror of Erised and had seen herself with her now-husband and an infant in her arms. Months later, after having eloped with the man she secretly loved, she had once again stood in front of the Mirror and had seen herself exactly as she was.

"Usagi, I have to leave now", the velvety voice of Severus Snape brought Usagi's attention back to the present as she looked up to see her husband don his long black cloak. "I've left instructions for Professor Meioh, whenever the woman gets here, hopefully she's as smart as you claim she is". The sarcastic remark caused Usagi to smile and move towards her husband with open arms.

"I wish you didn't have to do this", she whispered, choking back the emotions she was feeling so strongly. Severus held her tightly before removing himself from her embrace, lightly kissing her forehead.

"I'll be back soon", he said, and gazed at her longingly before leaving the room. Usagi remained, she stood her ground and gulped back as much oxygen as she could, she couldn't watch him leave, she wouldn't have been able to take it. Sighing, she headed out of the room herself, she was minutes away from welcoming someone she hadn't seen for a long time. Sailor Pluto would be with her soon.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I'm so tired of being here.

Suppressed by all my childish fears.

And if you have to leave,

I wish that you would just leave.

Cause your presence still lingers here, and it won't leave me alone.

The brisk September air didn't damper the mood of any of the students climbing onto the Hogwarts Express, eager to return to school to begin a new year, promising to be full of surprises. As the train pulled away for the day-long journey one compartment full of students noisily discussed their favorite parts of the summer holidays.

These wounds won't seem to heal,

this pain is just too real,

there's just too much that time cannot erase.

One student, however, sat silently, watching out his window staring at nothing in particular, he was merely lost in his own thoughts. And his sadness. His thoughts lingered on only one person at that time.

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears,

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears.

I held your hand through all of these years.

But you still have...

All of me.

She was known only as Sorrow, a rogue auror that had literally been trouble since she had first come into Harry's life, a life already riddled with pain and great responsibilities.

You used to captivate me by your resonating mind,

Now I'm bound by the life you left behind.

Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams

Your voice has chased away all the sanity in me.

Sorrow had sacrificed her life to save another, she had been seen by the visions of Hotaru to be a bride, a pure sacrifice. Harry's godfather was alive because of her, but it had cost spilt blood that would stain the heart of one young man.

These wounds won't seem to heal,

this pain is just too real,

there's just too much that time cannot erase.

Harry continued to watch out his window, the voices of his friends a mere blur of noise in his ears, he clutched the emerald pendant hanging 'round his neck, a gift from the woman who had brought him back from death.

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears,

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears.

I held your hand through all of these years.

But you still have...

All of me.

Usagi Tsukino had promised to see Harry during the holidays, half of them spent staying with his aunt and uncle, the other half with Sirius Black and Makoto Kino in Japan. She had come long enough to drop off a birthday present saying she was too busy to visit.

I tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone.

But though you're still with me,

I've been alone all along.

That didn't matter, though, Harry had spent most of his vacation alone in a room. It was late July when she had come to him in his dreams, and every night since, Sorrow. Although only a wandering spirit now, she had told him she was there to protect him, even if it was only his sleeping mind from Voldemort. Harry's eyes slowly closed as the train lulled him to sleep, he had hoped she would visit him then, as she had told him she was always with him.

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears,

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears.

I held your hand through all of these years.

But you still have...

All of me.

"Harry, hey Harry!" Ron shook his best friend out of his lulling trance, Harry turned his blurry eyes towards the red head, then focused long enough to notice the train pulling to a stop. "Time to get off, mate", Ron continued, turning to retrieve his things and continuing to chat. "You were asleep and missed the action, mate, Malfoy was making a racket trying to accuse us of trying to hide Hotaru or something. That bloody girl seems to have disappeared or something, nobody knows what happened to her." Ron's words were for the most part a loss in Harry's ear as he numbly collected himself, he had caught Hotaru's name, however, and had wondered once again on what had happened to the Tsukino's. Remus Lupin with fiancé Ami Mizuno had stopped by Makoto's place several times over the holidays, Ami would be taking over for now-retired Madam Pomfry in Hogwart's infirmary. Rei Hino had visited a few times, she still on again-off again seeing the Durmstrang Headmaster Klassen. Minako Aino had gotten herself into professional Quidditch, while infamously dating Quidditch superstar Oliver Wood.

"Alright Harry?" Ron asked, snapping the young man back into attention, Harry nodded quietly as he followed his friends off the train. Taking the carriages to the school, the students crowded into the Great Hall, where Professor Dumbledore could clearly be seen sitting in the Headmaster's chair. Students noticed both staff members gone and new ones sitting there. Two women, Ron admired quite loudly, were oddly beautiful. One with long forest green hair sitting next to McGonagall, the spot next to her empty, and where Trelawney usually sat, was a woman with impossibly pale skin and long black hair styled quite wildly. She caught Harry's eyes for a moment before looking away, Harry narrowed his own eyes, feeling as though he knew the woman. The students were quiet as new first years walked in, Ron leaned over to Harry and was whispering quite fiercely.

"Noticed Snape isn't anywhere to be seen?" He commented, "makes my supper that much better". The student body were curious to discover the identities of the new teachers, shock wasn't the proper word when Divination Professor Hotaru Tsukino nodded in response to her introduction. Draco Malfoy stared towards his ex-girlfriend during the rest of the meal, making a mental note to try and squeeze into that class somehow.

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A group of sixth years made their way into the Potions classroom in the dungeons for their first lesson of the year, Harry was quiet, Hermione was excited. Having decided on Healing, Hermione had to take Potions, but she was ready for it and made it known out loud. They sat together, and instead of the class being mixed with only two houses, it was all four, considering the few that were excepted in. Surprisingly to Harry, Draco Malfoy wasn't amongst them.

"Hermione?" Harry quietly gained the young woman's attention, she was scribbling furiously on her parchment.

"Hm?" She responded with.

"Did you by any chance notice how warm it is in here?" Hermione stopped writing and looked up around the classroom, before turning her gaze to Harry.

"That's odd...you're right", she said, thick eyebrows raised in puzzlement. Nearly everyone jumped when the door slammed open, Snape's typical loud entrance, the students knew. They weren't prepared for what happened next.

"Sorry I'm late", came the breathless sweet voice of their new Potions teacher, Usagi rushed into the classroom up to the desk, depositing several items. She looked up at the stunned faces of her students and smiled brightly. "I'm not sure where to start", she admitted, a pretty blush coloring her face. Still she gained no response from the students until one Ravenclaw student found his voice.

"Madam Tsukino? But it said S Snape on my schedule?" He said, several voices rose up in agreement. Usagi looked at him as though she hadn't heard the question the way he intended.

"That's right", she said, still smiling away, "my Wizarding name is Serenity, not Usagi".

"Bloody hell!" Hermione squeaked, immediately bringing her hand to her mouth, Harry looked at her in surprise. "I mean..." she said after a short moment, "congratulations", she added, her face spreading in a wide grin. The other students noisily began to question what Hermione meant by that, since she seemed to be the only one who had caught on.

"Thank you, Hermione", Usagi said, then she moved to pick up the term's schedule and everyone received a full view of her rounding middle, Harry elbowed Hermione.

"What?" She asked irritably, still smiling towards their new Potions teacher.

"What do you know, that the rest of us don't?" He asked, still staring.

"She married Professor Snape you daft idiot", Hermione snapped, Harry's jaw dropped.

"This is just too much", he thought out loud. One Slytherin girl's hand began waving madly in the air, Usagi nodded towards her.

"Madam Tsuk...I mean Madam Snape, could we...make a love potion?" She shyly asked, other students quieted in common interest.

"That's not allowed", Usagi said after a moment, looking down at her things, then she slowly rose her eyes, "but...I think we could make an exception." The females of the class voiced their excitement.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Bloody love potions now, that's very un-Snape-like. And where did the git get off to?"

"Madam Snape said he had some assignment or something", Hermione said between mouthfuls of her food.

"Don't even get me started on the fact that someone as fantastic as her got married to -him-", it's just too weird." Ron stated openly. They quietly filled themselves up with more lunch before it was off to their afternoon classes. Fortunately, all three of them had Defense Against the Dark Arts together.

"Hi Harry", while Hotaru had visually changed, her voice was the same as it had been, Harry looked up at the newly-changed woman who still had the same sad violet eyes. "I missed all of you, you know", she added before walking away from them. Ron leaned a little backwards to admire her retreating form. Hermione smacked him.

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Setsuna proved to be just as strict as McGonagall as the students began their first DADA lesson. She also proved to be quite knowledgeable in her material as well. Neville was sure to sit as close to the trio as possible, having gotten the OWL for the subject (thanks to the TA), he was frightened to death of their substitute.

"More than Snape?" Neville nodded.

"Ever since I heard he would be gone for half the year, I felt my luck was changing for the good, but she's just as scary", Neville admitted openly. Hermione, of course, was the first to point out the symbol softly glowing on the tall woman's forehead. The symbol for Pluto.

"You think she's one of those sen-shee people too?" Ron asked, Hermione nodded.

"Didn't you see her talking to Hotaru, seems like they know each other well", Hermione commented before Setsuna demanded everyone's attention.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry dozed off to sleep, lulled by the familiar sounds of snoring coming from the bed next to his. As soon as sleep overwhelmed him, and dreams began, the raggedly dressed form of Sorrow appeared as she always did. And talked to him as though they were together in person.

"How was your first day?" She asked, folding her hands together as they walked along an imaginary path.

"You wouldn't believe all the strange things that already have happened." Sorrow gave Harry her trademark smile.

"Try me".

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Not to far away, Usagi lay slumbering in her bed, finding it hard to sleep alone now, but sleeping none-the-less after a tiring day. Her dreams weren't pleasant like Harry's, however, her's were disturbing. Distorted images she didn't understand made her body tremble during her nightmares. And the one who visited her had vowed to uphold the promise he made to her.

Voldemort no longer could use Harry Potter's mind, it was protected by another spirit, but one he could visit was the woman who he had watched for years. Usagi was vulnerable to him now without having her husband nearby for protection. He watched her as she struggled against his visions, he smiled to himself with pale thin lips. This would prove to provide him with an advantage, if he could time his movements right.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

AN- There's the intro to the sixth year, whaddya' think? I know this chapter's a lot shorter than what I usually right, but I just haven't been able to devote a lot of time to story writing lately. I'll try harder, though, next chapter, promise!!


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